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Elder   F.    M.   JORDAN. 


LIFE  AND  LABORS 


Elder  F.  M.  Jordan 


For  Fifty  Years  a  Preacher  of  the  Gospel 
Among  North  Carolina  Baptists 


A  BAPTIZER  OF  BELIEVERS  IN  ALMOST  EVERY 
RIVER,  CREEK  AND  POOL  IN  THE  STATE 


An  Evangelist  who  Defended  the  Truth 
While    Proclaiming  a    Gracious    Gospel    to    vSinners  ; 
Whose  Joy  and  Crown  of  Rejoicing  is  the  More 
iTHAN  Seven  Thousand,  who  by  His  Hum- 
ble Efforts  Have  Been  Led  to 
Christ  Crucified 


WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF 

FROM    HIS    DIARY 


raleigh,  n.  c. 
Edwards  &  Broughton,  Printers  and  Binders 

1899 


DEDICATION 

TO 

MY  CHILDREN 
AND  THEIBAPTISTS  OF   NORTH   CAROLINA 
THIS  VOLUME   IS  AFFECTION- 
ATELY  INSCRIBED 
BY 

TH  E    AUTHOR 


.     PREFACE. 

I  send  forth  this  volume  as  a  record  of  a  life  cover- 
ing a  period  of  seventy  years,  half  a  century  of 
which  has  been  devoted  to  my  Master's  service. 

T  have  always  tried  to  be  faithful  to  my  God,  His 
truth  as  revealed  in  His  book,  and  to  my  brethren. 
Whatever  else  I  may  have  done,  I  have  kept  steadily 
in  mind  to  be  faithful  to  every  trust.  I  send  this 
volume  out  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  with  the 
prayer  that  it  may,  in  some  measure,  help  to  encour- 
age my  Baptist  brethren  to  be  true  to  God  and  faith- 
ful in  their  service  to  Him. 

And  may  T  not  hope  that  it  will  serve  the  purpose 
of  throwing  at  least  so^me  rays  of  light  upon  the 
history  of  the  Baptists  of  ISTorth  Carolina,  who  have 
been  so  busy  making  history  that  they  rarely  find 
time  to  record  it. 

Through  half  a  century  I  have  preached  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  nearly  every  nook  and  corner  of 
x^Torth  Carolina.  I  realize  that  before  a  great  many 
years  my  work  on  earth  will  be  at  an  end.  I  am 
nearing  the  sunset  of  life,  but  the  spirit  of  sunrise  is 
in  my  heart,  and  I  pray  the  Master,  who  has  been  my 
helper  through  the  years  of  the  past,  to  bless  this 
effort  and  use  this  book  for  His  glory. 

Through  it  may  I  speak  for  many  years  after  my 
voice  shall  be  silenced  here  forever  more. 

F.    M.    JOEDAN. 
East  Fork,  Transylvania  County,  N.  C. 


NTRODUCTORY. 


It  seeiiisr  tliat  tlie  devil  Avill  never  forgive  me  for 
assisting  others  to  start  two  orphan  houses,  two  char- 
ity papers  and  two  churches.  How  much  less  Avill 
he  pardon  Frank  Jordan  for  standing  nearly  half  a 
century,  with  his  maul  in  his  hands,  ready  to  mash 
the  heads  of  any  imps  wherever  they  might  appear  ? 
This  venerable  Christian  soldier  never  dodged  a  battle. 
He  bore  the  name  of  Francis  Marion,  a  famous 
lighter  of  the  Revolution ;  but  at  Wake  Forest  he 
was  known  as  Frank  Jordan.  lie  was  portly,  pious 
and  pleasant,  preaching  as  he  had  opportunity, 
punctual  in  all  religious  servaoes,  personal  in  his 
exhortations  and  fervent  in  his  prayers.  He  was 
always  ready  to  join  in  singing  a  hymn.  In  his 
text-books  he  simply  did  the  best  he  could.  His  best 
srirl  resided  on  the  Hill.  She  was  handsome,  kind 
and  good.  He  loved  her — how  could  he  help  it? 
She  loved  him — as  we  all  did.  He  took  her  instead 
of  a  diploma,  and  settled  on  a  farm,  preaching  to 
conntrv  churches.  He  dua'  his  sermons  out  of  the 
Bible  and  preached  on  the  practical  duties  of  a 
Christian  life. 

In  those  days  we  did  not  speak  of  the  saved  and 
the  unsaved,  but  of  the  righteous  and  the  sinner.  In- 
stead of  standing  for  prayer  we  kneeled  at  the  mourn- 
er's bench.  Instead  of  accepting  Christ,  we  prayed 
Him  to  accept  us.      There  was  some  noise  and  con- 


6  INTRODUCTORY. 

iiision  in  protracted  meetings,  but  each  convert  had 
an  experience  of  his  owti,  and  tlie  preachers  had  the 
Bible  and  their  methods  of  applying  it.  They  knew 
nothing  of  our  present  pulpit  helps,  which  make  so 
many  sermons  so  much  alike.  Evangelists  were  not 
expected  to  convert  the  town,  or  the  community;  the 
hope  was  that  the  Holy  Spirit  would  bless  sinners 
one  by  one. 

So  the  pastors  preached  and  exhorted,  prayed  and 
sang,  and  the  churches  prospered.  Their  illustra- 
tions were  sometimes  homely,  but  they  were  not 
easily  forgotten.  Pastor  Jordan  lived  in  Orange 
where  the  cedars  are  not  like  those  of  Lebanon,  or 
like  those  on  the  headwaters  of  Tar  River;  but  they 
are  low  and  the  limbs  begin  at  the  ground.  Here  is 
one  of  his  figures  :  ^'Brethren,  I  like  to  preach  to  sin- 
ners ;  I  like  to  cut  down  a  pine  tree ;  I  walk  up  to  it, 
chop  it  nearly  in  two  and  down  it  comes.  So  when 
I  preach  to  a  sfener  he  has  no  props  and  the  gospel 
cuts  away  all  excuses  and  he  falls  before  the  mercy 
seat.  Xot  so  mtli  the  moral  man.  He  is  like  a 
cedar.  You  must  first  cut  away  some  limbs  to  get 
to  it,  and  you  can  hardly  tell  where  to  begin,  there 
are  so  many  limbs  in  the  way.  When  at  last  you  get 
it  in  two,  it  rises  on  its  lower  limbs  and  is  higher 
tlian  it  was  at  first.  Just  so  with  the  moral  man ; 
when  you  cut  off  all  his  excuses  he  bounces  up  on 
some  delusion  and  he  is  further  from  you  than  at 
first." 


INTKODUCTOKV.  7 

Mrs.  Jordan  was  a  noble  helper  to  her  husband. 
She  was  industrious,  frugal  and  wise  in  the  manage- 
ment of  her  household.  Mrs.  Susan  W.  Graham 
and  other  good  women  in  his  field  of  labor  assisted 
him  in  many  quiet  ways.  His  pastorate  was  a  most 
decided  success. 

He  assisted  other  pastors  and  by  degrees  gave  his 
time  to  protracted  meetings,  and  finally  decided  to  go 
to  the  mountains.  In  this  way  it  came  to  pass  that 
he  has  labored  in  almost  every  part  of  the  State. 
InTow  he  looks  behind  on  the  work  of  his  life,  and  tells 
his  story  from  his  0T\m  standpoint.  His  individual- 
ism is  obliged  to  be  prominent — it  always  has  been. 
But  standing  so  near  the  door  of  the  grave,  he  will  be 
more  considerate  than  ever,  and  more  apt  to  do 
justice  to  those  whose  opinions  have  differed  from 
his.  Yet  he  will  rebuke  sin  and  call  sinners  to 
repentance   so  long   as  life   shall   last 

J.  H.  Mills. 
Thoraasville,  N.  C,  January.  1898. 


]^early  thirty  years  ago,  when  comparatively  a 
stranger  in  ]^orth  Carolina,  I  asked  Elder  Thomas 
H.  Pritchard  to  give  me  some  account  of  the  Baptist 
ministers  then  laboring  in  the  State.  Among  the 
first  of  those  mentioned  by  him  as  eminent  in  zeal, 
labors,  and  usefulness  was  Elder  F.  M.  Jordan. 
This  made  me  anxious  to  meet  Brother  Jordan,  and 
my  wish  was  gratified  at  the  Baptist  State  Conven- 


8  INTRODUCTORY. 

tion  ill  Raleigh,  in  November,  1870.  He  was  then 
one  of  tlie  prominent  figures  in  that  body  and.  he  took 
an  active  pai't  in  the  discussions,  his  tall,  spare  form 
toAvering  above  those  around  him,  and  his  strong, 
clear  voice  commanding  attention  by  its  ringing 
tones. 

It  has  been  my  privilege  many  times  since  then  to 
be  throA\Ti  into  Elder  Jordan's  company  and,  occa- 
sionally, to  labor  Avith  him.  I  think  that  the  secret 
of  his  A'ery  exceptional  success  as  a  Avinner  of  souls 
may  be  resolved  into  several  elements.  He  relies 
on  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  believes  the  Avhole  Bible 
Avith  unfaltering  conviction.  He  preaches  the 
Avliole  gospel.  His  sermons  are  delivered  Avith 
directness  of  appeal  and  genuine  earnestness  of  man- 
ner. He  is  gifted  in  the  rare  art  of  illustrating 
sacred  truth  in  a  homeh^  but  forcible  Avav.  In  this 
he  sliOAA^s  gxeat  originality  and  his  genial  humor  aa^II 
often  provoke  his  audience  to  smiles  as  Avell  as  to 
tears. 

C  E.  Taylor. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

Childhood -Church  and  School  Privileges— Camp  Meetings — Conversion 
and  Baptism — Sunday  Schools— Gameand  Fish— Amusing  Incidents- 
Muster  Day— Ginger  Cake  and  Cider— The  First  Coffee,   etc II 

CHAPTER  II. 
School  Days — Teachers  at  Wake  Forest -Newish— Seniors  -Professors — 
Room-Mates— Dr    Wait— J     S.    Purefoy—Pres.   White — Conversion  of 
Prof  Simmons— Cole  — First  Sermon,  etc.,  etc 25 

CHAPTER  III. 
Courtship   and    Marriage— Teaching    School— Killing    Turkej-s— Liles 
ville — Stanback's   Ferry— Killing   a    Hawk — More   Turkeys— Trouble 
With  the  Trustees — Ordination— Gen'l  Dockery — Cartlidge's  Creek — 
Dr.  Stansil — Fire — Moving  to  Orange  County 39 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Pastorates— Clement- Cool  Springs— Mars  Hill— Ktrr's  Chapel— Death 
of  Mother    Cane  Creek— Mt.  Moriah— Mt.  Hermon — Antioch— Bethel 
—A  Colored  Church 51 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  "War— Beulah    Association — Union    Meetings  -  Incidents — Another 
Hawk — Whiskey  for  Medicine — A  Promising  Boy — Work  in  Winston- 
First  Church  in  Winston 71 

CHAPTER  VI. 

As  Evangelist— Durham— W  T.  Blackwell-John  W.  Cheek— Great 
Meeting  — Convention  — Julian  S.  Carr— A  Prolific  Sow- Doing  the 
Work  of  an  Evangelist— Wiuston—Catawba  Station— Greenville 91 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Great  Meeting  in  Raleigh— Break  Djwn— A  Sister's  Dream  -  Build- 
ing a  Church— Sickness  at  Home -Jacob  S.  Allen— The  Good  Doctor 
Wilson— Kind  Neighbors loi 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Great  Meeting  at  Murfreesboro,  N  C. —Baptism  of  a  Young  Man  at 
Night— Great  Revival  at  Mocksville— Visit  to  the  Grave  <.f  Dr.  J.  L. 
Pritchard — Meetings  in  Lumberton  — Reidsville.  Leaksville,  Winston  — 
Return  to  the  East— Great  Revival  in  Elizabeth  City  and  Hertford — 
In  Raleigh  the  Author  Spends  Several  Days  — Preaching  in  the  Court 
House  in  Statesville ii7 

CHAPTER  IX 

Meetings  Continued— Yancey  ville— Durham— A  Visit  to  the  Mountains— 
Hendersonville— Littleton— W.  T.  Walters— Oxford— Stringing  Fish- 
Evangelist  Pearson— Vance  and  Settle— An  Auction  Sale— Breaking  • 
up  Home— Voting  for  Vance  and  Tilden— Asheville— 1877,  Deep  Snow— 
Salisbury— Judge  Kerr— Dr.  Whitehead— J.  B.  Boone- Shelby- A.  L. 
Stough—Berea— Charlotte  Rutherfordton  -  Enon— Gashe's  Creek— 
Brevard— Big  Ivey— Catching  Trout— Shouting- Catawba  Station  — 
Kinston— Convention -Henderson— Wilmington— J.  B.  Taylor 143 


10  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  X. 
Lagrange — Drunken   Deacons— Selma — Beaufort— A  Camp  Hunt— Wil 
son — J   D.  Hufham — Judge  Kerr — Incidents— Commencement  at  Wake 
Forest— Refuge— Salem— Mocksville— Another  Camp  Hunt  and  a  Cat 
Fight— Goldsboro— Salisbury — 1879 169 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Lumbertou  — Whiteville  —  Asheville  —  Laurinburg  —  Rockingham — Lin 
coin  ton— Cool  Spring — Mt.  Moriah— Waynesville — Charlotte — Union 
Hill— Spartanburg— A  New  Home— Wadesboro — Lilesville — Ashpole — 
Winston  —  Lilesville  —  Bennettsviile.  S.  C.  —  Greensboro  —  Mineral 
Springs,  S.  C  — Jerusalem — Little  River — Enou — Beulah — Bear  Swamp, 
S.  C. — Laurinburg — Ashpole — Fa5-eiteville 187 

CHAPTER  XII 
Rockingham — Fines    Creek — Morganton — Abbott's   Creek — Old  Fort — 
Cane  Creek — Toisnot — Wilson  —  Hamilton  —  Plymouth — East   Fork — 
Sundaj'  Meetings — 1S83 — Monroe — Polkton — Morganton — Smoky  Hol- 
low   219 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

W.  N.  Convention — Cartoogajay — Coweta — Franklin — 1884 — Matthews — 
Rutherfordton — Monroe —  Portsmouth  —  Littleton  —  Hendersonville — 
Highlands — Head  of  Tennessee— Old  Salem— Limestone  Springs,  S.  C. — 
Gaffney  City— A  New  Home— Florence,  S.  C  —iS8^— Raleigh— Salis 
burj' — Raleigh — Smithfield — Rockingham — Death  of  my  Wife 239 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Mt.  Airy — A  Long  Trip  with  J.  K.  Connally — Various  Meetings — J.  R 
Pendergrass — Libert j' and  Ducktown— Married — Doing  Mission  Work — 
Tusquitee — Brasstown — In  Macon  County — 1889 — A  New  Home — With 
Brother  Connally  Again — Home 259 

CHAPTER  XV. 

My  Brother  John — A  Model  Farmer — Twice  Married — Church  Member — 
Sunday  School  Superintendent — His  Librarj- — Strong  Convictions,  Po 
liticallyand  Religiouslj- — Great  Admirer  of  W.  J.Bryan — Strong  Tem- 
perance Man — Naturally  Bright  and  Witty — Marriage  of  His  Daugh- 
ter— The  Convention  in  New  Bern — Sickness  and  Death 271 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

My  Recollections  of  Elder  Elias  Dodson — Union  of  the  Conventions — 
Meeting  at  Jersey  Church,  Davidson  County — Letter  from  A.  T.  Rob- 
ertson— Letter  from  W.  J.  Sholarj— Letter  from  J.  B  Richardson — Win- 
ston— Jersey  Church — Letter  from  F.  H.  Jones — Letter  from  J.  F.  Love     279 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
In  Conclusion 319 


LIFE  AND  LABORS 
OF  ELDER  F.  M.  JORDAN 


CHAPTEK  I. 


Childhood— Church  and  School  Privileges— Camp-Meetings— 
Conversion  and  Baptism— Sunday  Schools— Game  and 
Fish— Amusing  Incidents— Muster  Day— Ginger  Cake  and 
Cider— The  First  Coffee,  etc. 


CHILDHOOD. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Montgomery 
County,  ]Srorth  Carolina,  on  the  bank  of  Little  Eiver, 
^ve  miles  east  of  Troy,  on  June  the  4th,  1830.  My 
father,  John  Jordan,  was  of  English  descent.  He 
was  a  good  farmer  and  mechanic,  generally,  owned 
iind  operated  mills,  or  some  kind  of  machinery.  In 
the  davs  of  my  childhood  he  was  a  distiller,  and  drank 
some  whiskey,  though  was  scarcely  ever  intoxicated. 
On  one  occasion  he  went  to  hear  a  man  preach  on  the 
subject  of  temperance,  was  convinced  that  he  was 
engaged  in  an  imlawful  and  ruinous  business,  and 
that  he  was  pursuing  a  dangerous  course  to  himself. 
So  he  made  up  his  mind  to  quit  making  and  drinking 
intoxicating  liquors  entirely,  went  home  and  tore 
doAvn  his  still-house  and  broke  up  the  whole  business. 
I  was  small  then,  but  I  recollect  seeing  him  take  dovm. 
the  still-house  and  put  it  up  in  his  cow  lot  to  shelter 
his  cattle.     Not  long  after  this  he  made  a  profession 


12  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

of  the  Christian  religion.  I  saw  him  baptized ;  and 
till  the  day  of  his  death  he  lived  a  sober,  righteous, 
ffodlv  life. 

Mv  father  was  married  three  times,  and  by  his 
three  wives  had  seventeen  children — nine  sons  and 
eight  daughters.  Of  all  this  number  I  am  the  young- 
est. Father  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-two,  in  the 
triumph  of  faith  in  Christ  and  a  good  hope  of  heaven. 

!^^y  mother's  maiden  name  was  Butler,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  Butler.  She  was  born  ISTovember 
14,  1796,  and  died  January  26,  1872,  aged  seventy- 
five  years.  She  first  married  Reuben  Butler,  by 
whom  she  had  three  daughters — Susan,  Lucy  and 
Sarah.  Butler,  her  first  husband,  died,  and  my 
father  married  her.  She  was  a  sister  of  his  second 
Avife,  and  by  her  had  tliree  children,  Jane,  John  and 
F.  M.  My  mother  was  a  pious,  consecrated,  godly 
Christian  woman.  Her  house  was  ever  the  preachers' 
home,  and  of  all  Christian  people,  while  at  the  same 
time  she  was  careful  to  entertain  strangers.  She  was 
truly  "a  keeper  at  home,"  and  kept  things  in  their 
places.  She  never  allowed  frolics  or  plays  of  any 
klud  at  her  house,  and  when  ten  o'clock  at  night  came, 
everybody  had  to  either  go  home  or  go  to  bed.  She 
certainly  ruled  her  owm  house  well.  Some  thought 
she  was  too  particular,  but  if  she  erred  it  was  cer- 
tainly on  the  safe  side. 

We  lived  just  one  mile  from  the  old  church,  Forks 
of  Little  River,  which  was  a  wonderful  place  in  those 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  13 

tlays.  We  had  regiilar  monthly  meetings,  and  the 
l>eople  generally  looked  forward  with  profound  inter- 
est to  the  meeting.  Old  brother  Eli  Phillips  was  our 
pastor  for  sixteen  years  in  succession,  was  pastor  when 
I  was  born,  and  as  long  as  he  lived.  So  it  was  a  time 
of  great  interest  when  lie  would  come.  Almost,  if 
not  every  family  in  the  community,  wanted  him  to  go 
home  with  them,  and  the  sisters  would  scour  and  clean 
up,  and  bake  their  cakes  and  pies,  kill  chickens  and 
have  everything  in  order.  And  wherever  the  preacher 
would  go  several  of  the  good  old  brethren  and  sisters 
would  be  apt  to  go  with  him  and  spend  the  night,  and 
generally  they  would  sit  up  till  twelve  and  one  o'clock 
telling  their  experiences,  and  talk  and  sing  and  pray, 
and  have  a  good  time.  On  Saturday,  the  regular 
meeting  day,  it  was  a  custom  in  those  days  to  lay 
down  their  work  and  all  go  to  church,saint  and  sinner, 
so  that  there  was  generally  a  good  turn  out  of  the 
people  on  Saturday,  and  there  seemed  to  be  life  and 
soul  in  all  the  service. 

It  was  customary  in  those  days  to  hold  camp- 
meetings,  and  for  many  years  we  held  one  at  Forks 
of  Little  River,  familiarly  known  as  Cross  Eoads.  In 
front  of  the  meeting-house  there  was  a  square  space. 
In  the  center  of  this  a  large  board-covered  canopy, 
called  "the  stand,"  was  erected.  The  sides  were 
weatherboarded  and  hung  to  the  upper  plate  by 
hinges,  so  they  could  be  propped  up  by  poles  to  let 
the  air  through  or  enlarge  the  seating  capacity.     The 


14  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

seats  were  usually  made  of  logs  split  in  two,  the  flat 
sides  smoothed,  holes  bored  underneatli  and  pegs 
driven  in  them  for  legs.  They  were  called  benches, 
and  had  no  backs.  In  one  end  a  platform  was  built 
and  a  bench  placed  on  it  for  the  preachers.  A  pulpit 
was  made  by  erecting  a  post  on  the  front  corners  of 
the  platform  and  nailing  a  board  across.  In  front  of 
the  platform  a  space,  covered  with  clean  straw,  was 
reserved  for  the  mourners.  A  bench  was  placed 
against  the  platform  before  which  they  were  to  kneel, 
fold  their  arms  upon  it,  and  bow  their  heads  upon 
their  arms.  This  was  called  ^^the  mourners'  bench.'' 
Sometimes  there  would  be  more  mourners  than  the 
bench  would  accommodate,  then  they  would  bow  at  the 
front  seats  or  kneel  upon  the  straw.  In  a  Metho- 
dist camp-meeting  I  heard  of  a  brother  who  became  so 
excited  because  there  wasn't  enough  straw  for  the 
mourners  to  kneel  upon,  that  he  cried  out,  ''more 
straw,  brethren,  more  straw !  Here  are  souls  perish- 
ing for  the  want  of  a  little  straw."  The  "mourners' 
bench"  has  about  passed  away,  but  I  doubt  if  modem 
methods  are  half  as  good.  When  sinners  are  willing 
to  come  forward  for  prayer,  they  are  generally  in 
earnest.  Those  were  the  days  of  good  old-fashioned 
religion,  when  the  law  was  preached  till  sinners  were 
convicted  and  cried  for  pardon,  when  there  was  great 
rejoicing  over  a  sense  of  pardon  and  deliverance  from 
the  power  and  bondage  of  sin. 

In  these  days  there  is  too  much  gospel  without  any 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  15 

law ;  the  two  go  hand  in  hand.  Many  so-called  con- 
versions are  simply  promises  to  do  better,  by  either 
standing  up  or  raising  the  hand.  IsTever  shall  I  for- 
get those  camp-meetings.  The  neighbors  would  build 
tents  around  the  square,  each  one  facing  toward  the 
stand.  Once  a  year,  usually  in  August,  after  the 
crops  were  laid  by,  they  would  move  into  their  t^nts 
on  Thursday  and  remain  in  camp  over  Sunday.  There 
would  be  several  sermons  each  day,  and  one  or  two  at 
night.  The  people  were  called  together  by  the  blow- 
ing of  a  trumpet,  which  hung  in  the  rear  of  the  plat- 
form. Whenever  the  hour  for  service  would  arrive 
some  one  would  mount  the  platform  and  blow  the 
trumpet. 

I  can  see  '^Davy  Wright"  now  standing  on  the 
stand,  blowing  the  timmpet,  and  the  people  gathering 
from  all  directions.  I  remember  distinctly  the  min- 
isters who  generally  attended  the  meetings  for  many 
years,  to-wit:  Eli  Phillips,  A.  Shattuck,  E'oah 
Eichardson,  John  Monroe,  W.  Q.  Batie,  John  Cul- 
pepper, Wm.  lineberry,  P.  C.  Conly,  D wight  Hayes, 
E.  L.  Davis,  and  sometimes  others.  These  bretbren 
seemed  to  be  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  under  their 
preaching,  doubtless  many  believed  and  turned  imto 
the  Lord.  jN'early,  if  not  all,  these  good  old  soldiers 
of  the  cross  are  gone  to  their  reward,  and  their  happy 
spirits  are  mingling  and  rejoicing  together  around  the 
throne  of  God.  God  alone  knows  how  much  these 
meetings  and  ministers,  in  connection  with  my  saints 


16  LIFE    AND    LABORS    OF 

mother,  had  to  do  in  moulding  mj  young  heart  and 
life. 

I  can  not  remember  the  day  that  I  did  not  want 
to  be  a  Christian,f or  I  was  brought  up  from  the  cradle 
mider  the  very  best  suiTOundings  and  influences, 
religiously.  I  being  the  youngest  child,  with  a  pious 
devoted,  Christian  mother,  and  all  my  brothers  and 
sisters  devoted  Cludstians,  save  one  brother,  I  was 
shielded  from  bad  habits  and  bad  associations. 

I  must  have  been  under  conviction  for  sin  from 
the  day  I  passed  the  line  of  accountability.  I  was 
afraid  to  go  to  sleep  at  night,  lest  I  should  wake  up  in 
hell.  I  felt  the  condemning  power  of  God's  holy 
and  righteous  laAv,  would  often  weep  over  my  sins 
and  wrong-doing;  then  I  would  hide  away  in  the 
weeds,  or  some  secret  place  to  pray,  and  plead  the 
pardoning  mercy  of  God.  When  old  brother  Phil- 
lips, our  pastor,  or  some  other  good  minister,  would 
spend  the  night  with  us  and  read  a  chapter  in  the 
Bible,  and  then  pray,  and  in  their  prayers  pray  for  the 
family,  they  would  almost  invariably  pray  for  the 
renmant  that  was  left,  that  the  family  might  be  a 
household  of  faith  on  earth,  and  an  undivided  family 
in  heaven.  These  prayers  would  ring  in  my  ears, 
and  follow  me  wherever  I  would  go,  for  I  knew  that  I 
was  the  remnant  that  was  still  left  out. 

In  the  summer  of  1843,  soon  after  I  entered  my 
thirteenth  year,  I  hope  to  have  passed  from  under  the 
law  that  condemned  me,  to  Jesus  Christ  who  died  to 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  17 

save  rae,  and  realized  '^the  peace  of  God  which  passeth 
all  imderstanding,  and  shall  keep  the  heart  and 
mind  through  Christ  Jesus."  ^'Blessed  is  he  whose 
transgression  is  forgiven,  whose  sin  is  covered.''  Who- 
ever, under  a  sense  of  guilt  and  sin,  flies  to  the 
Saviour's  death  is  gladly  received  and  freely  par- 
doned; in  his  blood  he  is  cleansed  from  all  sin,  and 
tlirough  his  obedience  he  is  justified  from  all  accusa- 
tion. Ee  is  no  longer  under  the  law,  but  under  grace. 
I  saw  clearly  that  Christ  is  the  way  to  God  and  to 
heaven,  and  I  accepted  him  as  my  Savious.  I  had 
two  strong  evidences  that  I  had  passed  from  death  to 
life :  I  hated  sin,  and  took  no  delight  in  sinful  anmse- 
ments  or  sinful  companions.  The  things  which  were 
once  impleasont  and  irksome,  now  became  pleasant 
and  delightful.  T  had  great  love  and  fondness  for 
the  society  of  the  people  of  God,  and  felt  constrained 
to  unite  with  the  church  and  follow  my  Saviour  in  the 
ordinance  of  baptism.  I  advised  with  my  good 
mother,  and  told  her  that  if  I  felt  impressed  when  the 
opportunity  was  given,  I  should  offer  myself  to  the 
church  as  a  candidate  for  baptism.  So  on  Saturday 
of  the  regular  meeting  in  October,  1843,  I  was 
received  into  the  fellowship  of  Forks  of  Little  River 
church,  Montgomery  County,  N'orth  Carolina,  and  on 
Sunday  morning  T  was  baptized  by  Elder  Eli  Phil- 
lips, our  old  pastor.  Col.  Archibald  A.  Leach  and 
wife  were  baptized  at  the  same  time.  I  was  baptized 
in  Little  River,  within  less  than  fifty  steps  of  the 
2 


18  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

old  homestead,  where  I  was  bom  and  brought  up,  and 
where  scores  and  hundreds  were  baptized.  I  loved  old 
brother  Phillips  so  devotedly  that  I  really  wanted  to 
go  and  live  with  him.  He  was  our  pastor  from  my 
birth  to  his  death.  He  died  soon  after  my  baptism, 
and  it  was  a  sad  time  when  we  heard  of  his  death. 

Soon  after  my  baptism  I  felt  strong  impressions  to 
preach  the  gospel.  Though  in  my  thirteenth  year,  it 
was  on  my  mind  nearly  all  the  time,  and  wherever  I 
went.  The  love  of  souls  was  lying  heavily  on  my 
young  heart,  and  as  I  would  follow  my  plow  from  one 
end  of  the  field  to  the  other  I  was  sermonizing,  and  in 
my  way  preaching  to  the  people,  though  for  several 
years  T  never  told  any  one  my  feelings  on  the  subject. 
I  determined  that,  if  called  upon  to  pray  in  ptiblic,  I 
would  not  refuse;  that  however  feeble  I  would  make 
the  effort.  So  I  began,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  I 
trust,  led  me  on  step  by  step,  and  from  one  degree 
to  another  toward  the  gospel  ministry. 

SUJSTDAY    SCHOOLS. 

I  was  brought  up  in  a  good  Sunday  school.  We 
had  no  literature  save  the  Bible — no  papers  or  helps 
of  any  kind.  But  we  studied  the  Bible,  and  mem- 
orized hundreds  of  verses.  I  believe  we  got  more 
scripture  into  our  heads  and  hearts  then  than  children 
do  at  the  present  time.  I  learned  to  repeat  whole 
chapters,  and  have  retained  them  in  my  memory  to 
this  day.     I  have  always  been  able  to  quote  scripture 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  19 

readily,  and  attribute  my  ability  to  do  so  to  my  early 
training  in  the  Sunday  school.  In  our  school  the 
one  aim  seemed  to  be  the  salvation  of  both  parents  and 
children,  for  both  attended.  At  the  close  of  each  ses- 
sion an  invitation  was  given  to  any  who  desired  to  be 
saved  to  come  forward.  So  there  were  conversions 
all  along.  Frequently  during  the  week  you  might 
hear  of  happy  conversions. 

GAME  AND  FISH. 

I  was  raised  on  the  farm,  and  greatly  enjoyed  life. 
My  brother  John  (tAvo  years  older)  and  I  grew  up 
together  and  were  cared  for  in  a  large  measure  by 
our  half-brother,  Thomas  S.  Jordan,  who  was  as  a 
father  to  us.  He  was  fond  of  fishing  and  hunting. 
The  nice  little  river  was  full  of  fish,  and  the  woods 
full  of  game,  and,  as  Ave  lived  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  Ave  Avould  spend  our  spare  moments  catching 
fish,  sometimes  with  a  hook  and  sometimes  Avith  a  gig. 
In  various  ways  we  would  take  them.  Deer  were  as 
plentiful  as  rabbits,  and  AAdieu  there  Avould  come  a  Avet 
time,  and  Ave  could  not  ploAv,  Ave  Avould  take  our  guns 
and  dogs  and  go  out  and  kill  a  deer.  Sometimes  A\^e 
Avould  go  at  night,  shine  their  eyes,  and  shoot  them, 
and  in  many  ways  had  good  sport,  and  a  good  deal  of 
meat.  Mother  Avas  greatly  opposed  to  keeping  dogs 
and  hunting ;  she  thought  it  Avas  a  Avaste  of  time  and  a 
needless  expense,  so  Ave  Avould  have  to  hide  our  guns, 
and  in  different  ways  to  try  to  fool  her,  and  not  let  lior 


20  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

know  that  we  had  been  fishing  and  hunting,  and  some- 
times we  were  put  to  our  trumps  to  keep  from  telling 
a  little  stump  of  a  lie  as  to  where  we  had  been. 

Before  T  was  large  enough  to  carry  a  gun  it  was 
my  business  to  drive  for  the  others.  Sometimes  the 
old  bucks  would  run  by  me,  with  horns  looking  like 
chair-frames,  and  scare  me  almost  to  death.  Finally 
I  began  to  carry  a  gun.  One  evening  I  went  hunting 
alone  witli  a  small  riflo.  The  dogs  started  some  deer, 
and  <^no  came  bv  mo.  I  fired  away  at  him  and  killed 
liim  dead  in  his  tviicks— the  first  deer  I  ever  shot  at. 
There  i  was,  nearly  a  mile  from  home,  with  a  fine 
deer,  the  proudest  little  fellow  in  all  the  land.  David 
Crockett  or  Daniel  Boone  never  felt  happier  than  I 
did  a^:  T  hurried  home  to  tell  what  I  had  done  and 
get  some  one  to  help  bring  in  my  game.  In  a  few 
days  brother  John  and  T  went  out  for  a  drive.  I  took 
tlie  stand  and  he  went  in  the  drive.  Soon  I  heard  the 
dogs,  and  directly  saw  seven  deer  coming  to  me.  I 
fired  at  rliem,  and  they  all  stopped  and  stood  there 
till  1  liad  my  gun  nearly  loaded.  But  before  T  got 
the  cap  on,  the  dogs  came  and  away  went  the  deer. 
With  a  sad  heart,  and  trembling  all  over  with  the 
''buck  ague,"  T  went  to  where  they  were  standing,  and 
there  lay  a  fine,  large  doe,  the  leader  of  the  gang  and 
the  fattest  deer  1  ever  saw.  This  was  my  second  shot 
and  my  second  deer.  T  was  killing  every  shot,  and 
thought  T  was  getting  to  be  as  good  a  shot  as  my 
brother  Thomas,  who  was  given  up  to  be  the  best  shot 
in  all  that  countrv. 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  t^  1 

Tom  was  fond  of  hunting  by  firelight.  He  would 
fasten  a  long  handle  to  a  large  pan,  build  a  fire  of 
fat  pine  in  the  pan  and  carry  it  on  his  shoulder,  kee))- 
ijig  the  fire  directlv  behind  him.  Then  taking  his  gun 
lie  would  walk  tlirough  the  fields  at  night  Avhere  the 
deer  were  feeding,  shine  their  eyes,  lay  his  gun  across 
the  end  of  the  handle,  and  shoot  them  dowm.  One 
night  he  shot  a  neighbor's  calf  and  on  another  a  horse. 
This  about  broke  his  heart  as  well  as  his  pocket-book, 
j'here  were  a  gTeat  many  fish  in  the  river,  especially 
white  suckers.  These  would  not  bite  a  hook,  so  we 
had  to  kill  them  at  night  with  a  gig.  This  we  did  by 
taking  a  torch,  wading  the  river  and  sticking  the  gig 
through  them.  One  night  a  number  of  us  were  in  the 
river,  when  one  of  the  party  poked  his  bare  foot  imder 
a  log  to  run  the  fish  out.  The  end  of  his  foot  showed 
on  the  other  side  of  the  log,  and  taking  it  for  the  head 
of  a  sucker  he  thrust  his  gig  through  it.  That  ended 
his  sport  for  the  night,  but  it  furnished  no  end  of 
sport  for  the  rest  of  us  for  many  years. 

About  this  time  an  accident  happened  to  me  that 
came  near  ending  my  life,  and  yet  it  was  very  ludi- 
crous. My  father  owned  a  cotton-gin,  Avhich  it  was 
iny  business  to  feed.  To  keep  the  lint  off  of  my 
clothes  I  wore  a  long  apron  made  of  coarse  tow  cloth. 
One  day  the  wind  blew  the  apron  into  the  cylinder. 
The  cloth  was  so  strong  that  I  hadn't  strength  enough 
to  tear  it,  and  was  being  rapidly  drawn  on  the  revolv- 
ing teeth.      I  pulled,  kicked  and  screamed  all  at  the 


•>•> 


LIFE  AND  LABOES   OF 


same  time.  Finally  the  buttons  holding  the  apron 
broke,  and  the  whole  thing  went  into  the  gin.  I  have 
never  had  mnch  use  for  aprons  since. 

In  the  days  of  my  boyhood  we  had  muster  days,  for 
the  purpose  of  drilling  and  preparing  for  war.  Dif- 
fie's  muster-ground  was  about  two  miles  from  our 
home.  On  general  muster  days  all  the  companies  of 
the  county  would  meet  at  Troy  and  drill  under  a 
Colonel.  Col.  Archibald  A.  Leach,  the  man  who  was 
baptized  with  me,  commanded  the  Montgomery  regi- 
ment. The  drums  would  be  beating,  the  fifes  whist- 
ling, the  uniforms  of  the  officers  gleaming  in  the  sun- 
shine, and  the  men  going  through  all  sorts  of  warlike 
exercises.  To  me  it  was  sublimely  grand,  and  one  of 
my  highest  ambitions  was  -reached  when  I  became 
old  enous:h  -to  shoulder  my  musket  and  start  for  the 
muster-ground. 

There  was  another  attraction  which  was  about  as 
fascinating  to  a  boy  as  the  glitter  of  swords,  uniforms 
and  muskets.  A  man  named  Martin  Hunsucker  used 
to  attend  all  the  musters,  mth  sweet  cider  and  ginger 
cakes  for  sale.  The  cakes  were  about  five  by  eight 
inches  in  size  and  from  two  to  three  inches  thick, 
and  sold  at  five  cents.  Without  any  doubt  they  were 
the  best  ginger  cakes  I  ever  saw,  and  I  never  expect 
see  their  like  ag-ain.  I  spent  enough  money  for  cider 
and  ginger  cakes  to  buy  a  good-sized  negro.  I  will 
never  be  old  enough  to  forget  the  first  muster  which  I 
attended.     I  wanted  to  go  very  much,  but  had  no 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  23 

shoes,  and  was  too  large  to  go  barefooted ;  so  I  carried 
some  leather  to  a  shoemaker  named  Jimmie  Sanders, 
and  got  his  promise  to  have  the  shoes  ready  by  muster 
day,  without  fail.  On  the  morning  of  the  eventful 
day  I  went  by  Jinmiie's  for  my  shoes,  but  they  were 
not  iinished.  I  was  terribly  disappointed  and  very 
much  out  of  hum. or,  but  was  not  going  to  miss  the 
muster.  Arriving  at  the  ground  I  selected  a  place 
from  whicli  I  could  see  the  company  drill,  and  stood 
in  the  corner  of  the  fence  trying  to  hide  my  feet.  It 
was  the  custom  for  the  guard  to  arrest  all  the  mem- 
bers who  came  late  and  take  them  before  the  court- 
martial.  .  Directly  after  taking  my  stand  I  saw  the 
officer  coming  with  my  little  shoemaker.  As  they 
passed  me  I  said,  "They  have  got  you,  have  they,  Jim- 
mie ?     I  am  mighty  glad  of  it." 

The  first  coifee  I  heard  of  coming  into  our  com- 
munity was  bought  by  a  man  named  John  ^N^ichols, 
who  lived  not  far  from  my  father's.  His  wife  boiled 
it  in  a  pot  with  some  bacon,  and  said  she  never  could 
get  it  tender.  I  remember  the  first  threshing- 
machine  that  was  used  in  the  county.  People  came 
for  miles  to  see  it. 

My  mother  used  to  tell  us  of  the  first  chinaAvare 
that  was  brought  into  the  county.  Before  that  they 
used  pe^vter  cups  and  saucers,  pewter  plates  and 
spoons.  Some  people  had  moulds  and  moulded  their 
own  ware.  The  children  in  my  childhood  days  were 
often  given  for  supper  corn-bread  soup.     My  mother 


24  LIFE   ANT)  l>ABORS   OF 

could  make  it  better  than  any  one  else.  She  would 
put  several  strips  of  fat  bacon  into  boiling  water, 
crumble  the  bread  into  it,  boil  it  for  a  considerable 
time,  then  pour  in  sweet  milk  and  boil  for  a  few 
minutes.  It  was  served  by  pouring-  it  into  a  large 
bowl.  The  lx>wl  was  placed  on  a  small  table,  when 
tiie  children  would  gather  around  with  their  pewter 
spoons  and  help  themselves.  I  don't  think  I  ever 
tasted  l^etter  soup ;  perhaps  it  is  because  I  have  lost  a 
boy's  taste,  and  mother  doesn't  make  the  soup. 

Our  winter  clothing  was  made  of  wool,  raised, 
carded,  spun  and  woven  on  the  farm ;  our  summer 
clothing'  of  tow  and  flax,  all  of  which  was  raised  and 
perpared  on  the  farm. 

I  believe  that  the  people  "who  own  farms  would  do 
w^ell  to  go  back  to  the  custom  of  making  their  own 
cloth.  A  fcAv  sheep  would  furnish  all  the  wool  they 
need,  a  little  cotton  patch  the  cotton,  and  a  little  flax 
patch  the  flax.  As  times  are  now,  no  farmer  can 
make  much  money  with  which  to  buy  ready-made 
clothes,  and  any  good  farm  should  furnish  enough 
supplies  to  meet  all  the  domestic  needs  of  the  family. 


chaptp:k  il 

School  Days— Teachers  at  Wake  Forest — Newish— Seniors — 
Professors  —  Room-Mates — Dr.  Wait  —  J.  8.  Purefoy — 
Pres.  White — Conversion  of  Prof.  Simmons — Cole— First 
Sermon,  etc. 

SCHOOL   DAYS. 

The  old  school-house  stood  in  the  fork  of  the  river, 
where  I  first  went  to  school.  My  first  teacher  was 
Malcom  Mnrchison.  I  was  small,  and  could  not  bear 
to  be  scolded  or  whipped,  so  I  did  my  level  best  to 
avoid  either.  The  teachers  in  that  day  were  exceed- 
ingly grura  and  sour,  scarcely  ever  cracked  a  smile, 
and  actually  made  the  school-house  a  prison,  which 
I  now  believe  was  a  great  mistake.  In  addition  to 
their  sour  looks,  they  generally  kept  a  good  hickory, 
and  did  not  fail  to  use  it  freely  when  the  scholars 
failed  to  obey  their  rules,  and  they  generally  liad 
good  rules  and  good  discipline.  When  a  child  got 
whipped  at  school,  he  was  almost  certain  to  get 
another  when  he  went  home,  for  parents  did  not  take 
their  children's  part  and  condemn  the  teacher  then, 
anything  like  they  do  now.  And  then  the  teachers 
in  that  day  had  a  dunce-block,  which  they  would 
place  about  the  center  of  the  house,  and  as  a  punish- 
ment for  some  misdemeanor,  they  would  make  the 
child  sit  on  that  dunce-block.  I  can  see  them  now, 
though  it  has  been  more  tlian  sixty  years  ago,  and  I 
can  imagine  just  about  how  they  felt,  for  it  seemed 


^6  LIFE, AND  LABORS   OF 

like  the  next  thing  to  death  to  go  to  the  dunce-block. 
Another  fashion  they  had  was  that  of  throwing  the 
hickory  at  the  unruly  one,  and  then  make  them  bring 
it  up.  I  can  see  the  little  fellows  marching  up  with 
the  switch,  sometimes  two,  one  holding  to  each  end, 
and  remember  distinctly  how  they  looked,  but  can't 
tell  exactly  how  they  felt,  for  to  my  gTeat  relief  and 
comfort,  I  never  had  to  carry  up  the  hickory,  never 
got  whipped,  and  never  had  to  si  t  on  the  dunce-block ; 
but  T  was  always  in  a  terrible  dread  of  these  dreadful 
things.  Schools  in  that  day  were  generally  large, 
and  there  were  a  grea  many  large  families.  Some- 
times there  would  be  eight  or  ten  in  school  from  the 
same  house.  I  recollect  there  was  a  family  by  the 
name  of  Ward;  there  were  ten  children.  The  oldest 
one  was  named  Eli.  One  morning  they  commenced 
coming  in,  and  they  kept  coming  till  after  awhile  the 
teacher  said :  ^"^Eli  is  your  daddy  and  mammy  coming 
to-dav  ?"  The  above  scenes  are  fresh  to-dav  in  the 
minds  of  thousands  of  my  age. 

There  was  another  custom  in  that  day,  of  turning 
out  the  teacher  the  last  day  of  the  school.  The  older 
boys  would  meet  early  in  the  morning,  bar  up  the 
doors,  so  the  teacher  could  not  get  in,  till  he  would 
agree  to  treat  the  school  to  apples,  cakes  and  candy. 
Sometimes  the  teacher  would  submit  and  treat  them 
cheerfuljy,  and  at  other  times  he  would  get  mad,  try 
to  break  in,  and  have  a  squally  time. 

In  those  days  we  started  to  school  about  sunrise, 


ELDER  E.  M.   JORDAN.  27 

kiid  returned  about  sundown,  had  one  hour  and  a  half 
play  time  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  put  in  from 
eiglit  to  ten  hours  of  hard  work.  What  a  change 
frojQ  that  day  to  this ! 

!My  next  teacher,  at  this  same  old  school-house,  was 
Malcom  M.  Leach,  a  good  teacher,  but  with  the  same 
idea,  that  it  was  disastrous  to  the  school  to  smile  in 
the  school-house.  The  next  teacher  was  Martin 
Black,  a  good  teacher,  with  about  the  same  rules  and 
regulations  as  the  others.  Finally  we  abandoned  the 
old  school-house  in  the  forks  of  the  river,  and  moved 
to  the  camp-gTound  at  the  church,  where  a  tent  wrs 
used  for  a  school-house  for  several  years.  Then  a 
good  school-house  was  built  at  the  cross-roads  near 
the  old  church,  which,  for  aught  I  know,  stands  there 
and  is  used  to  this  day. 

My  brother,  W.  B.  Jordan,  lived  at  Pekin  in  the 
lower  end  of  Montgomery  County,  and  in  1849  I 
boarded  with  him  and  w^ent  to  school  to  Pilate  Fry, 
a  splendid  teacher  and  a  good  school.  After  this 
school  w^as  out  I  Avent  home  to  my  mother's.  Brother 
John  and  sister  Jane  still  lived  with  mother.  My 
brother,  Thomas  S.  Jordan,  had  married  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Baldwin,  who  lived  in  Richmond  Countv,  about 
\  two  miles  from  Pekin.  She  had  fine  property,  a 
good  plantation,  and  some  twenty-two  likely  negroes. 
My  brothers  W.  B.  and  T.  S.  Jordan  were  enfi:afi:ed 
in  the  mercantile  business  at  Pekin,  and  after  brother 
Thomas  married  he  would  frequently  come  back  to 


28  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

the  old  homestead  to  see  us,  and  take  a  hunt.  As 
he  lived  with  iis  so  long  and  was  so  good  to  us  all,  we 
were  perfectly  delighted  to  see  him  come.  On  one 
of  his  visits  he  and  brother  John  went  out  to  kill  a 
deer.  Thomas  took  his  stand,  and  John  took  the  dogs 
and  went  into  the  drive.  He  started  two  large  bucks ; 
they  ran  out  by  brother;  he  fired  one  barrel  at  the 
foremost  one,  and  killed  him,  and  as  the  other  came 
in  he  fired  the  other  barrel,  and  piled  him.  So  they 
had  two  large  bucks  to  bring  in,  and  Avere  delighted 
with  their  success. 

I  was  now  in  my  nineteenth  year,  and  the  matter 
was  about  decided  that  I  would  preach  the  gospel, 
though  I  felt  almost,  if  not  utterly  unprepared.  I 
wanted  to  2:0  to  school,  but  saw  no  wav  whatever  to 
go,  and  yet  felt  "woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel. '^ 
So  one  evening  brother  Thomas  drove  up  to  my 
mother's  in  his  buggy ;  we  had  no  idea  for  what  pur- 
pose he  had  come.  That  night  he  told  mother  that 
he  had  come  after  me  to  take  me  to  Wake  Forest  Col- 
lege ;  that  if  I  was  going  to  preach  the  gospel  I  must 
be  better  prepared  for  my  work.  Mother  told  him 
that  I  was  not  prepared,  and  that  she  could  not  pre^ 
pare  me  to  go  to  college ;  and  then  it  was  such  a  sur- 
prise she  hardly  knew  how  to  give  me  up,  as  I  was  her 
youngest  child.  Brother  told  her  that  he  would  make 
the  necessary  preparation  for  my  going.  So  next 
morning  I  bade  my  mother  and  my  brother  and  sis- 
ter, and  the  dear  old  home  farewell,  and  started  for 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  29 

Wake  Forest.  Brother  carried  me  down  to  his  store, 
n  distance  of  eighteen  miles,  gave  me  a  good  trunk, 
and  packed  it  with  such  clothing  as  he  thought  I 
would  need,  with  paper,  envelopes,  and  such  things 
as  we  could  carry.  Xext  morning  he  took  me  in  his 
buggy,  with  a  large  claybank  horse,  and  we  turned 
our  faces  toward  Wake  Forest.  I  do  not  remember 
all  the  particulars  of  our  journey,  but  I  remember 
that  we  stopped  one  evening*  about  sunset  with  a  fam- 
ily by  the  name  of  Evans  to  spend  the  night,  near 
Deep  River.  Soon  w^e  heard  the  family  after  a 
chicken.  Directlv  a  little  chicken  ran  into  the  house 
for  protection,  but  two  lai-ge  dogs  pounced  upon  it, 
and  the  little  fellow  had  to  give  it  up.  He  was  soon 
in  the  pot,  and  we  had  him  for  supper. 

At  length  we  passed  on  through  Raleigh,  and 
arrived  at  Wake  Forest.  My  brother  put  me  to 
board  with  Elder  Wm.  Jones,  who  was  then  agent  for 
the  college,  bought  me  some  books  and  such  things 
as  T  needed,  and  left  me  among  strangers,  and  far 
from  the  loved  ones  at  home.  For  some  days  I  felt 
rather  lonesome,  but  delighted  with  the  privilege  of 
going  to  school.  Sister  Jones  was  a  mother  to  me, 
and  (lid  all  she  ccnild  to  make  me  comfortable  and 
happy.      This  was  in  the  fall  of  1850. 

I  soon  had  matters  arranged,  and  l>egan  my  regular 
recitation.  The  students  were  exceedingly  kind,  and 
the  society  matters  were  all  new  to  me.  They  soon 
had  me  in  a  good  room,  with  the  sainted  R.B.  Jones, 


30  LIFE  A]S"D  LABORS   OF 

for  my  room-mate,  a  bed  and  firewood  all  gratis;  so 
T  felt  very  much  like  Ruth  when  she  returned  to  her 
mother-in-law  from  gleaning  in  the  fields.  I  had 
never  seen  such  kindness  and  generosity.  And 
behold  !  the  first  thing  I  knew,  the  thing  had. changed, 
with  my  trunk  in  another  room,  and  Elder  Moses 
Baldwin  for  my  room-mate.  1  thought,  well !  wel'  ! 
what  does  all  this  mean  ?  I  learned  that  Brother  Jones 
was  a  Euzelian  and  Brother  Baldmn  a  Philomathe- 
sian,  and  that  both  societies  were  hard  after  me.  Prof. 
W.  G.  Simmons  was  there  at  that  time,  a  member  of 
the  Senior  Class.  He  and  I  were  from  the  same 
county,  and  school-mates  in  the  days  of  our  boyhood. 
He  was  a  Phi,  and  when  he  found  out  how  things 
were  going,  he  set  in  to  break  up  the  arrangement,  for 
he  could  not  think  for  a  moment  that  a  boy  should 
come  here  from  his  county,  an  old  school-mate,  and 
join  the  other  Society.  So  at  the  end  of  one  month 
I  joined  the  Philomathesian  Society.  Willis  A. 
Eamsey,  of  South  Carolina,  was  President  of  the 
Society  at  that  time. 

John  B.  White  was  President  of  the  college,  and 
Wm.  H.  Owen,  W.  T.  Brooks  and  W.  T.  Walters 
were  the  professors.  .  B.   W.  Justice,  T.  C.  Collins 

and Owen,  of  Tennessee,  graduated  in  the 

Ch^ss  of  1S50.  B.  W.  Justice  w^as  elected  tutor.  I 
recited  to  Professors  Brooks  and  Justice  in  the  Lan- 
guages, and  Prof.  Walters  in  Mathematics.  The  old 
College  building,  built  by  Capt.  John  Berry,  was  the 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  31 

onlj  one  there  then ;  in  this  we  had  onr  dormitories, 
recitation-rooms,  Society  halls.  Chapel,  and  every 
thing  else,  pretty  much.  And  then  the  campus  was 
not  even  enclosed,  and  most  of  it  set  in  scrubby  old- 
field  pines. 

The  post-office  was  then  kept  at  Forestville,  and 
every  day  some  of  us  would  go  after  the  mail.     The 
Ealeigh  and  Gaston  railroad  track  was  then  laid  with 
wooden  sills,  lengthwise,  and  on  these  were  laid  bars 
of  iron,  and  these  bars  would  frequently  break  and 
turn  up  like  a  snake's  head.     If  I  mistake  not,  they 
only  ran  about  ten  miles  an  hour,  and  very  often  ran 
off  at  that.      There  were  but  few  families  living  on 
the  Hill  at  that  time.     Old  Dr.   Wait  lived  there, 
who  had  been  President  of  the  college  for  years,  in 
the  days  of  its  infancy  and  great  struggles  for  life 
and  efficiency.     He  was  the  charm  of  the  College 
Hill;  everybody  loved    and  admired  him.     He  was 
then  old  and  feeble,  but  still  preached  occasionally  to 
the  delight  of  all  those  who  heard  him.      I  recollect 
hearing  him  preach  the  ordination  sermon  of  young 
L.  H.  Shuck,  in  which  he  said :  ''If  I  had  my  days  to 
live  over  again    I  would  preach  more  on  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  baptism  and 
communion."  I  think  many  of  our  brethren  would  do 
well  to  remember  this  and  act  accordingly.     Brother 
John  M.  Brewer  married  their  only  daughter,  and 
their  only  child,  by  whom  he  has  raised  a  wonderful 
and  most  interesting  family  of  children,  one  of  whom 


32  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

is  now  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  Wake  Forest  Col- 
lege. Eternity  alone  will  disclose  the  magnitude  of 
the  blessings  which  old  Dr.  Samuel  Wait,  his  noble 
wife  and  daughter,  have  confered  upon  this  world. 

James  S.  Purejoy  lived  at  the  college,  it's  ever 
true,  faithful  and  devoted  friend.  There  were  few 
men  whom  T  loved  more  than  this  pious,  consecrated 
man  of  God.  He  was  always  engaged  in  eveiy  good 
word  and  work,  and  his  Godly,  Christian  wife  was  one 
of  the  salt  of  the  earth.  They,  too,  raised  a  noble 
family  of  children,  of  whom  they  had  cause  to  be 
proud.  Both  their  sons  were  my  school-mates  at  col- 
lege, one  has  been  a  successful  business  man,  and  the 
other  a  good  and  influential  minister  of  the  glorious 
gospel  of  the  blessed  God,  who  not  long  since  followed 
his  sainted  father  and  mother  to  the  glory  world. 

While  I  was  at  college  the  number  of  students 
averaged  about  eighty-five  each  session.  President 
White  was  a  good  disciplinarian,  and  maintained 
good  order.  T  remember  some  whole  sessions  that  I 
never  saw  a  drop  of  liquor,  never  saw  a  boy  intoxi- 
cated, and  never  heard  an  oath.  Some  of  these 
things  might  have  occurred,  but  as  I  always  kept  good 
company,  I  never  saw  or  heard  of  them.  Professors 
White,  Brooks  and  Walters  preached  alternately  on 
Sunday  and  at  night ;  sometimes  a  ministerial  student 
would  preach  at  night. 

In  the  spring  of  1851,  if  I  remember  correctly,  we 
had   a  great  revival   of  religion  at  tlie  college,  con- 


ELDEK  F.  :M.   JORDAN.  33 

dTicted  by  Brother  Reynaldson,  [I  forget  his  ini- 
tials] but  I  remember  that  he  was  a  great  preacher. 
Among  tlie  number  who  made  a  profession  of  saving 
faith  in  Christ,  were  fonr  of  the  graduating  class, 
namely,  John  Mitchell,  B.  F.  Biddlc,  J.  J.  Freeman 
and  W.  G.  Simmons,  with  a  number  of  others.  I  saw 
all  these  baptized  by  old  Dr.  Wait,  if  I  am  not  mis- 
taken, in  a  pool  just  over  east  of  the  college.  I  saw 
him  baptize  Brotlier  J.  M.  Brewer,  his  son-in-law, 
but  I  am  not  certain  whether  it  was  at  this  time  or 
not. 

The  conversion  of  Professor  Simmons  was  rather 
remarkable.  One  night  during  the  meeting,  after 
the  service  had  closed  in  the  Chapel,  about  ten  o'clock 
in  the  night,  I  heard  some  one  coming  down  tbe  pas- 
sage and  knock  at  my  door,  when  in  came  Simmons, 
as  happy  a  man,  I  think,  as  ever  I  saw.  As  he  and 
I  were  from  the  same  county,  and  had  always  been 
great  friends,  it  seemed  that  he  wanted  to  see  me  first. 
So  he  took  me  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  and  praised 
God  for  redeeming  grace  and  dying  love.  One  after 
another  came  into  my  room,  until  it  was  full.  At  his 
request  I  went  after  Professor  White.  He  came,  and  it 
was  a  time  of  great  rejoicing.  Simmons  finally  lay 
down  flat  on  the  floor,  and  blessed  and  praised  the 
Lord.  T  think  it  was  1  o'clock  before  we  dispersed 
and  retired.  I  never  saw  anyone  who  seemed  to 
have  brighter  manifestations  of  his  acceptance  with 
God.     And  oh,  what  a  great  man  he  made,  in  almost 


34  LIFE  AI^D  LABORS   OF 

every  sense  of  the  word.  He  was  one  of  the  ripest 
scholars  of  liis  age,  could  teach  any  class  in  college,  in 
whatever  department,  and  was  about  the  only  man 
that  could.  He  told  me  that  he  had  read  every  book 
in  the  library  of  the  Philomathesian  Hall,  and  that 
he  never  saw  a  problem  in  mathematics  that  he  could 
not  solve.  And  further,  he  told  me  that  when  he 
worked  on  the  farm,  before  he  went  to  college,  ho 
would  take  his  arithmetic  to  the  field,  fasten  it  on  his 
plow  stock,  and  solve  problems  as  he  would  follow^  his 
plow.  He  graduated  with  first  distinction,  and  was 
first  elected  tutor  and  then  professor,  which  office  he 
filled  with  great  ability  to  the  time  of  his  death.  Ho 
married  Miss  Mollie  Foote,  of  Warren  County,  a 
refined  and  accomplished  lady,  by  whom  they  raised 
a.  family  of  remarkably  intelligent  children.  They 
now  have  two  sons  who  are  professors  in  college.  I 
was  at  their  infair  at  his  father's,  Locky  Simmons,  in 
Montgomery  County.  Mrs.  Simmons  is  still  living 
at  WakeForest,  where  her  husband  died. 

There   were   five   preachers   in   mj   class :    Moses 
Baldwin,  E.  F.  Beachum,  B.  F.  Cole,  B.  J.  Hackney 

and  myself ;  also  B.  F.  Simmons, Freeman 

and  Dr.  Harris,  who  now  lives  near  AVake  Forest. 
Baldwin  was  my  room-mate.  Beachum  was  very 
modest,  timid  and  unassuming.  He  was  the  neatest, 
cleanest  man  I  ever  saw.  It  was  said  of  him,  that 
dirt  would  not  stick  to  him.  Hackney  went  to  col- 
lege after  he  was  married,  and  made  many  sacrifices 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  35 

for  an  education,  was  a  hard  student,  but  labored 
under  many  disadvantages,  nevertheless  he  made  a 
good  preacher.  Cole  was  from  Chatham,  and  never 
had  seen  much  of  the  world,  but  he  was  a  good  fellow. 
As  in  my  case,  both  Societies  were  after  him,  and 
using  various  pleas  for  his  consideration.  Among 
others,  the  Phis  told  him  that  while  the  Eus  outnum- 
bered them,  the  Phis  had  the  best  speakers  and  the 
most  talent,  and  that  it  would  be  greatly  to  his  advan- 
tage to  join  them,  ^'Well,''  he  says,  "that  is  just  the 
reason  I  want  to  join  the  other,  to  help  them  up." 
And  he  meant  just  what  he  said.  So  his  case  seemed 
rather  doubtful.  But  he  finally  joined  the  Phis. 
Beachum  and  Hackney  were  Eus ;  Baldwin,  Cole, 
Simmons  and  I  were  Phis.  Cole  and  I  became  won- 
derfullv  attached  to  each  other,  like  David  and  Jona- 
than.  We  studied  together,  walked  together  and 
prayed  together.  Don't  think  I  ever  attended  to  the 
duty  of  secret  devotion  so  punctually  as  while  at 
Wake  Forest.  There  was  a  skirt  of  woodland  over 
east  of  the  college,  in  which  I  selected  a  large  tree,  at 
the  root  of  which  I  would  bow  morning  and  evening 
to  commune  with  my  Heavenly  Father ;  and  I  found 
it  to  be  the  regulator  of  my  life.  I  went  to  school  for 
the  purpose  of  gaining  knowledge,  so  that  most  of  the 
time  T  read  and  studied  during  the  hours  set  apart  for 
recreation,  though  somehow  little  Freeman  could  play 
all  these  hours,  and  then  recite  as  good  as  I  could. 
I  am  of  the  opinion  that  all  the  ministers  of  my 


36  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

class  were  beneficiaries  of  the  board  of  education,  or 
aided  by  private  individuals.  Old  sister  Washing- 
ton, mother  of  Mrs.  W.  A.  Graham,  aided  Rev.  A.  D. 
Blackwood,  and  when  he  left,  from  some  cause,  or 
through  some  influence,  she  took  me  up,  though  I  had 
never  seen  her,  nor  had  she  ever  seen  me.  She  sent 
me  twenty-five  dollars  at  one  time  to  buy  books,  and 
then  paid  my  tuition  for  several  terms,  (a  tei*m  then 
being  five  months)  and  helped  me  in  various  ways, 
not  only  then,  but  as  long  as  she  lived,  as  we  shall  see. 
T  was  in  college  two  years  and  a  half.  My  class  went 
on  and  graduated.  The  board  ^\'anted  me  to  become 
a  beneficiary,  and  go  on  with  my  class,  but  my 
brother,  who  raised  me,  and  who  sent  me  to  school, 
was  opposed  to  it,  said  that  I  could  teach  a  good 
school,  and  that  he  wOuld  get  me  a  school  near  his 
house  and  lx>ard  me  for  nothing ;  so  I  felt  that  I  could 
not  afford  to  disregard  his  wishes. 

Three  of  my  class  are  dead.  I  do  not  know  the 
particulars  of  Brother  Beachum's  death.  Brother 
Hackney  died  in  Florida,  of  smallpox.  Brother  Cole 
was  elected  tutor  in  the  college  soon  after  his  grad- 
uation, and  was  taken  sick,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  dur- 
ing the  first  or  second  session,  and  died  a  remarkably 
happy,  and  triumphant  death.  How  mysterious  are* 
the  providences  of  our  Heavenly  Father.  I  thought 
he  bid  fair  to  be  one  of  the  most  usefiU  men  in  the 
State. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  6i 

1  remembor  witli  £:roat  pleasure  many  of  my  scliool- 
mat-es:  S.  O.  Tatum,  J.  II.  Footo,  W.  G.  Simmons. 
John  Mitchell,  J.  J.  Freeman,  B.  F.  Biddle,  E.  D. 
Lea,  W.  T.  Fairclotli,  James  Bond,  W.  H.  Mitchell, 
W.  A.  Ramsey,  J.  H.  Mills,  with  a  host  of  others  too 
numerous  to  mention.  I  left  Wake  Forest  at  the 
close  of  the  session  of  1852. 

FIRST  SERMON. 

I  preached  my  first  sermon  at  Saron  Church,  Rich- 
mond County,  Xorth  Carolina,  from  the  text,  ''If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself 
and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me."  (]\rat. 
16:24). 

I  preached  some  during  my  vacation,  while  at  col- 
lege. I  recollect  going  with  Elder  A.  D.  Blackwood 
to  Brassiields,  in  Granville,  during  one  vacation, 
where  we  had  a  glorious  meeting.  Here  I  formed 
the  acquaintance  of  the  Cannady  families,  the  old 
motlier,  N'at,  Sam,  Macon  and  the  others.  A  strong 
attachment  was  formed  then,  which  has  lasted  to  this 
day.  I  remember  falling  mightily  in  love  with  Miss 
Kate ;  I  hardly  knew  whether  it  was  because  she  was 
such  a  a'ood  Christian  or  some  other  kind  of  love.  I 
never  said  anything  to  her  about  it,  but  for  my  life 
I  couldn't  help  begrudging  her  to  the  man  she  mar- 
ried. 

Most  of  these  good  brethren  and  sisters  are  dead, 
and  no  doubt  in  heaven,  but  this  does  not  weaken  the 


38  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

attachment  for  them,  and  only  increases  the  attrac- 
tion for  heaven. 

1  spent  another  vacation  in  Orange  County,  and 
preached  at  Mars  Hill,  before  my  sweetheart,  who 
afterwards  became  my  companion,  as  we  shall  see 
further  on. 


CHAPTEE  III. 


Courtship  and  Marriage — Teaching  School — Killing  Turkeys — 
Lilesville  —  Stanback's  Ferry  —  Killing   a    Hawk  —  More 
Turkeys — Trouble  With  the  Trustees — Ordination — Gene 
ral    Dockery  —  Cartlidge's    Creek — Dr.    Stansil  —  Fire- 
Moving  to  Orange  County. 


COURTSHIP    AND    MAREIAGE. 

While  I  was  a  student "  at  college,  H.  C.  Stroud 
married  Sarah  II.  Holeman,  both  of  Orange  County, 
and  located  at  Wake  Forest,  for  the  purpose  of 'going 
into  the  mercantile  business.  Miss  Susan  T).  Hole- 
man  came  there  to  board  with  her  sister,  and  go  to 
school  to  Mrs.  Walters.  One  day  when  I  went  to 
dinner,  ]\rr.  A.  C.  Jones,  one  of  Brother  Wm.  Jones' 
sons,  who  was  in  school  at  the  same  time,  said  there 
were  two  young  ladies  there  and  asked  me  if  I  would 
like  an  introduction  to  them.  I  told  him  I  had  no 
objection.  So  he  introduced  me  to  the  young  ladies, 
Miss  S.  D.  Holeman  and  Miss  Amelia  Holt.  The 
moment  I  put  my  eyes  on  Miss  Holeman  I  was  won- 
derfully impressed  and  fell  in  love  with  her.  (I  had 
never  seen  her  before) .  We  conversed  pleasantly  for 
a  short  time,  and  when  I  went  to  leave,  I  said  to  ^liss 
Sue,  ^^Ego  amo  te."  She  knew  what  I  said,  and  was 
very  curious  to  know  what  I  meant,  for  she  did  not 
know  a  word  of  Latin,  and  I  didn't  know  much.  So 
she  got  my  young  friend  Jones  to  interpret  the  lan- 
guage for  her,  and  it  seemed  to  make  a  deep  and  last- 


40  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

ing  impression  upon  her  mind ;  so  we  improved  the 
first  acquaintance,  and  a  strong  tie  of  love  and  friend- 
ship was  soon  formed.  I  was  fond  of  her  company, 
and  delighted  to  escort  her  to  the  Chapel,  and  linger 
in  her  presence. 

While  Captain  John  Berry  was  building  Wake 
Forest  College,  he  had  two  negToes  to  die.  He  had 
them  buried  in  the  old  field  over  east  of  the  college, 
and  built  a  nice  brick  wall  around  their  graves.  So 
one  beautiful  Sunday  evening  Miss  Sue  and  I  took  a 
walk,  and  while  standing  by  the  brick  wall  around 
those  graves  we  were  engaged  to  be  married.  It  was 
a  solemn  y^lace,  and  a  solemn  time,  a  time  and  place 
never  to  be  forgotten.  We  often  visited  that  place 
while  there,  and  every  opportunity  since  we  left.  I 
was  there  last  spring,  but  so  many  changes  had  tran- 
spired T  could  not  find  the  place. 

blatters  went  on  nicely  and  pleasantly  until  we 
both  left  the  college.  I  went  to  my  mother's  in  Mont- 
gomery, and  she  to  her  father's,  Samuel  Iloleman,  in 
Orange  County.  We  were  now  separated,  about 
ninety  miles  from  each  other,  and  though  mountains 
lay,  and  river  rolled  between  us^  our  hearts  were  knit 
together,  and  Ave  kept  up  a  regTilar  correspondence, 
looking  forward  with  fond  anticipations  to  the  con- 
summation of  the  promise  made  while  standing  by  the 
brick-walled  graves  at  Wake  Forest. 

In  the  fall  of  1852,  I  taught  school  at  old  Cross 
Eoads  in  Montgomery  County,  one  mile  from  my 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  41 

mother's,  near  the  old  mother  church,  Forks  of  Little 
Kiver.  In  the  spring  of  1853,  my  brother,  Thomas 
S.  Jordan,  made  me  up  a  school  in  Eichmond  County, 
in  his  neighborhood,  near  Pleasant  11.  Powell's,  who 
was  a  prominent  Baptist  of  that  day.  Powell,  IST.  T. 
Bowden,  J.  IM.  Bradley  and  others  were  my  patrons. 
I  boarded  with  my  brother ;  he  and  his  wife  were  just 
as  good  to  me  as  heart  could  msh,  and  they  gave  me 
a  delightful  home.  ,  It  was  a  wealthy  and  very  intel- 
ligent neighborhood.  This  was  in  the  spring  of  the 
year,  and  turkey-gobbling  time.  Some  mornings,  on 
my  way  to  school,  I  could  hear  the  old  gobblers  gob- 
bling all  around  me.  Other  things  being  equal  I  had 
much  rather  gone  after  the  turkeys  than  to  have  gone 
to  school,  for  I  had  a  great  hankering  for  the  things 
any  way.  One  morning  I  called  one  up  close  to  me, 
but  had  no  gun. 

My  school  of  five  months  closed  in  June.  It  had 
now  been  about  twelve  months  since  I  saw  Miss  Sue, 
and  Oh,  how  anxious  I  was  to  see  her.  So  in  the  sum- 
mer I  paid  her  a  delightful  \-ibit,  at  her  home  near 
Hillsboro,  and  we  decided  upon  the  18th  of  October 
as  the  day  of  our  marriage.  I  returned  and  engaged 
another  school,  where  I  had  taught  near  my  mother's. 
On  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  October,  with  a  fine 
bay  horse  and  a  new  buggy,  in  company  with  my 
brother  John  and  a  cousin,  x\llen  Jordan,  and,  with  a 
happy  heart,  I  started  after  my  bride.  Passing 
throui^h  Ashboro  and  Cedar  Falls  Factorv,  we  arrived 


42  T,IFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

at  old  brother  Enoch  Cnitchfield's,  a  distance  of  fifty- 
five  miles,  before  sunset,  ^(xt  di^y  we  reached  and 
spent  the  night  in  Hillsboro;  and  on  the  18th  of 
October.  1853,  Miss  Susan  D.  Holeman  and  I  were 
united  in  marriage,  by  Elder  G.  W.  Purefoy,  at  the 
residence  of  Samuel  Holeman,  three  miles  north  of 
Hillsboro.  We  came  to  Hillsboro  and  dined  at  the 
Orange  Hotel,  spent  the  night  with  deacon  Thomas  D. 
Oldham,  tlie  next  night  at  Cedar  Falls  Factory,  in 
Tiandolph  Coimty,  and  the  next  evening  we  landed 
safely  at  my  mothers  on  the  bank  of  Little  River, 
in  Montgomery  County,  five  miles  east  of  Troy. 
Mother  had  prepared  us  a  good  supper,  and  our  neigh- 
bors a  id  friends  gathered  in  to  greet  us. 

1  Would  not  recommend"  long  courtships,  but  we 
were  engaged  eighteen  months.  The  reason  was,  that 
T  was  trying  to  make  something  to  get  a  little  start 
in  the  world.  I  told  Miss  Sue  in  the  outset,  that 
financially  I  was  not  worth  a  dollar  in  the  world,  that 
]  jiad  nothing  but  my  character,  with  a  liberal  educa- 
ii c-n,  and  that  if  she  took  me,  it  would  have  to  be  at 
her  o^vQ  risk.  She  replied,  that  she  would  marry  me 
without  a  dollar,  and  would  go  with  me  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth.  Though  far  away  from  home  and  loved 
ones,  she  never  seemed  to  be  homesick.  We  boarded 
with  mother  till  my  school  was  out. 

About  this  time  the  people  of  Lilesville,  Anson 
County,  had  built  a  good  school-house,  and  were  look- 
ing around  for  a  teacher.     The  trustees  wrote  to  me 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  43 

relative  to  the  matter,  and  I  made  an  engagement  to 
teach  a  ten  months'  school  for  tiieni,  for  $400.  So, 
early  in  the  spring  of  1854  we  began  the  school,  and 
boarded  with  Mr.  J.  J.  Cox.  Here  onr  surroundings 
were  exceedingly  pleasant,  a  fine,  intelligent  commu- 
nity, and  a  liberal-hearted,  whole-souled  people.  Our 
school  numbered  about  forty-five  exceptionally  good 
students;  my  wife  assisted  me,  and  we  had  a  good 
time.  In  my  school  I  had  good  rules,  and  had  them 
obeyed,  maintained  good  discipline,  and,  conse- 
quently, had  but  little  trouble;  for  I  managed  my 
school  more  by  love  and  kindnesp  than  otherwise.  As 
a  general  rule  the  children  seemed  to  love  me 
devotedly;  in  some  cases  it  was  truly  remarkable. 
When  the  classes  of  little  boys  and  girls  would  come 
to  recite,  it  was  a  race  to  see  which  could  get  nearest 
to  me.  Some  of  those  noble  boys  were  lost  in  the 
war.  I  remember  Joseph  Liles  especially,  son  of 
James  D.  Liles,  who  was  the  best  and  most  natural 
declaimer  T  ever  saw,  was  lost,  and  I  don't  think  his 
father  and  mother  ever  knew  anything  about  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  death.  Others  are  still  living,  with 
good  homes  and  interesting  families.  Most  of  those 
bright  girls  developed  into  noble  Christian  women, 
became  mothers,  and  have  been  a  blessing  in  their  day 
and  generation. 

Though  it  has  been  forty-seven  years  ago,  there  are 
many  pleasant  memories  connected  with  our  stay  and 
labors  at  Lilesville.     There  were  so  many  delightful. 


4:4  LIFE   AXD  LABOKS   OF 

places  to  visit :  Xelson  P.  Liles,  Sandy  Liles,  James 
I).  Liles,  Tvra  and  John  D.  Williams,  William 
Hooker,  Gaston  Long,  the  Smiths,  the  Ilenrvs,  the 
Mortons,  Benjamin  Sanders,  and  many  others. 

While  at  lilesville  we  attended  tlie  old  Cedar  Creek 
church,  Avhich  stood  jnst  across  the  road  from  the 
school-house.  Here  we  heard  the  glorious  gospel  of 
the  blessed  God  in  its  simplicity  and  purity,  as 
preaclied  by  Elders  John  Monroe,  John  Culpepper, 
W.  Q.  Batie,  E.  L.  DaA^s  and  others.  This  was  a 
golrious  church  and  people  in  that  day.  During  this 
period  I  would  frequentb'  preach  on  Sunday  to  the 
churches  around  in  the  country,  but  not  as  pastor. 

Our  first  child,  Julia  Ann,  was  i)orn  on  the  17th  of 
October  of  this  year,  at  my  brother  T.  S.  Jordan's, 
in  Bichmond  County.  Llis  wife  and  mine  seemed  to 
love  each  other  as  sisters. 

In  1855  I  tau2:ht  another  ten-months'  school  in 
Anson  County,,  four  miles  from  Stanback's  Fenw,  in 
the  Smith  and  Chapel  neighborhood,  employed  by  W. 
C.  Smith,  Jesse  Capel,  Daniel  Horn  and  others. 
Here  I  rented  the  old  Capel  homestead,  and  we  did 
our  first  housekeeping.  Our  surroundings  w^ere  of 
the  most  pleasant  nature^  the  people  were  rich,  gener- 
ous and  hospitable.  Our  family  was  small — only  one 
child — and  my  wife's  sister,  Miss  Julia  A.  Holeman 
lived  with  us.  We  had  a  good  garden,  my  wife 
raised  a  great  many  chickens, and  we  never  lived  more 
happily  anywhere  than  at  this  place.        I  recollect 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAlSr.  45 

there  was  a  large  hawk  that  troubled  us  and  the 
chickens  a  good  deal.  I  shot  at  him  six  times  with  a 
shotgun,  but  could  not  get  near  enough  to  kill  him. 
One  morning  I  started  to  the  school-house,  and  saw 
him  sailing  through  the  plantation,  coming  toward 
me.  1  picked  up  a  smooth  stone  and  threw  it  at  him 
as  he  passed  me,  hit  him  on  the  head,  and  killed  him 
as  dead  as  a  flounder.  So  wiieii  powder  and  lead 
would  not  bring  him,  1  thought  I  would  see  what 
virtue  there  was  in  stones. 

Jesse  Capel  had  a  fishery  on  the  Pee  Dee  Kiver. 
In  the  spring  he  gave  us  shad,  and  round  fish  nearly 
all  the  time.  This  was  no  small  consideration  then, 
and  would  not  be  now\  There  w^ere  a  great  many 
turkeys  between  me  and  the  river,  and  in  the  spring 
you  could  hear  them  gobbling  in  almost  every  direc- 
tion.  I  called  up  and  killed  two  large  gobblers.  One 
day  Jesse  Capel  and  I  went  dowm  into  the  swamp, 
and  killed  seven — he  four  and  I  three.  That  was 
good  sport,  and  good  eating.  At  this  place  the  near- 
est church  to  us  was  Pleasant  Grove.  Here  we 
attended  the  regular  meetings,  and  I  would  some- 
times preach.  One  Sunday  I  preached,  and  there 
was  so  much  interest  that  the  brethren  insisted  that 
I  come  back  Monday.  I  did  not  see  how  I  could 
leave  my  school,  but  finally  I  consented,  went  to  the 
school-house  Monday  morning,  dismissed  the  school, 
and  went  on  to  church.  The  interest  still  increased, 
so  that  the  churches  begged  me  to  come  back  next  day. 


LIFE  AND  LABOES   OF 

I  did  not  feel  that  I  could  leave  my  school,  for  I 
thought  my  employers  would  grumble  if  I  did,  and  I 
felt  that  the  meeting  ought  to  go  on,  so  I  felt  almost 
heartsick. 

I  believe  the  Holy  Spirit  decided  the  case,  and  I 
went  back  Tuesday,  dismissing  my  school  again.  It 
was  the  same  thing  over  again,  and  the  brethren 
threw  all  the  responsibility  upon  me,  as  to  whether 
the  meeting  should  go  on  or  close.  By  this  time 
three  young  ladies  became  deply  concerned  about 
the  salvation  of  their  souls,  Julia  A.  Kirby,  Charlotte 
D.  Kirby  and  Julia  A.  Iloleman.  Miss  Julia  A. 
Kirby  begged  me  to  go  on  with  the  meeting  till  she 
was  converted.  So  I  carried  on  the  meeting  till 
Sunday  evening,  and  all  three  of  these  girls,  with  a 
number  of  others,  made  a  bright  profession  of  a  sav- 
ing faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Monday  morn- 
ing my  employers  met  at  the  school-house  to  turn  me 
off,  for  preaching  that  week,  instead  of  teaching.  I 
gave  them  a  plain  talk  about  the  meeting,  and  the  cir- 
cumstances connected  with  it  •  that  I  had  nothing  to 
regret,  and  that  if  they  were  disposed  to  turn  me 
away  it  was  all  right,  so  far  as  I  was  concerned.  I 
think  they  all  felt  ashamed  of  tlieir  conduct  and  left, 
and  I  went  on  with  my  school. 

These  young  converts  were  very  anxious  for  me  to 
baptize  them,  but  T  had  not  been  ordained. 

!My  mmbership  was  then  at  Forks  of  Little  River, 
the  old  mother  church  in  Montgomery  County,  where 


ELDER  F.  M.   JOHDAN.  47 

I  was  baptized.  So  just  at  that  time  the  church 
appointed  the  time  for  my  ordination,  and  wrote  for 
me  to  come.  I  went,  and  was  ordained  by  Elders 
A.  J).  Blackwood  and  A.  L."  Stough,  in  the  summer  of 
1855.  Elder  Stough  preached  my  ordination  ser- 
mon, from  the  text,  "Preach  the  word."  (2  Tim.  4 :2). 
Elder  Blackwood  offered  the  prayer.  The  former  is 
still  living,  the  latter  dead. 

The  next  Sunday  I  baptized  ten  at  Crump's  Mill, 
who  were  received  into  the  felloAvship  of  Pleasant 
Grove  church,  Anson  County — the  same  converts 
above  referred  to.  Miss  Chaidotte  D.  Kirby  was  the 
first  person  I  ever  baptized.  She  is  still  living,  so  far 
as  I  know.  Miss  Julia  A.  Kirby  married,  lived 
about  ten  months,  and  died.  She  said  on  her  dying 
bed,  had  it  not  been  for  me  and  that  meeting  at 
Pleasant  Grove  she  would  have  been  without  any  hope 
of  heaven.  She  left  a  dying  request  that  I  should 
preach  her  funeral.  I  was  then  living  in  Orange 
County,  and  went  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles 
to  preach  the  sermon.  I  feel  that  her  case  alone  will 
amply  reward  me  for  all  that  I  have  ever  done.  I  am 
satisfied  that  the  Holy  Spirit  directed  that  meeting  in 
which  she  made  a  bright  profession  of  the  Christian 
religion.  Here,  as  at  Lilesville,  we  had  a  good  school 
of  bright,  affectionate,  lovely  children.  Before  the 
close  of  my  school  here.  General  Alfred  Dockery  came 
to  see  me,  to  get  me  to  teach  at  Cartlidges  Creek,  in 
Richmond   County,    near   his   beautiful   home.     Wo 


48  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

made  the  agreement,  and  at  the  close  of  this  session 
we  moved  across  the  river  into  the  old  homestead 
of  Thomas  Dockerv,Alfred  Dockery's  father,a  l^eanti- 
fnl  place  near  the  school  house.  Here  I  commenced 
teaching  in  January,  1856,  with  the  most  delightful 
surroundings.  The  Dockerys,  Bostics,  Covingtons 
and  others  were  our  neighbors  and  patrons,  while  at 
the  same  time  the  venerable  and  the  beloved  John 
Monroe  was  pastor  of  Cartlidges  Creek  church.  Here 
I  was  co-pastor  with  him,  he  preaching  one  month, 
and  I  the  next.  This  was  my  first  beginning  as  pas- 
tor. Oh,  what  a  privilege  to  be  associated  with  the 
sainted  Monroe  and  all  those  good  and  intelligent 
people.  I  saw  old  Brother  Monroe  baptize  all  of 
Brother  Dockery's  daughters,  Eliza,  Martha  and 
Mar}^  What  good  times  and  precious  seasons  we 
had  in  those  good  old  days.  Old  sister  Alfred  Dock- 
ery,  and  old  aunt  Hannah  Covington  were  among  the 
best  women  of  earth.  What  a  benediction  to  mix  and 
mingle  with  such  good  people.  Four  of  Brother 
Alfred  Dockery's  sons  went  to  school  to  me — Ben, 
Alfred,  James  and  Henry.  Henry  was  then  a  little 
black-eyed  boy. 

While  here  our  first  son,  and  second  child,  was 
bom,  Samuel  Holeman.  Dr.  Stansil  was  our  family 
physician.  I  remember  at  one  time  he  knelt  by  the 
bedside  of  the  suffering  mother,  and  offered  a  tender 
prayer,  the  only  time  I  ever  knew  the  physician  to 
pray  with  the  patient.     My  wife  always  loved  him. 


Mrs.   SUSAN    D.   JORDAN. 


Mrs.   JULIA  A.    LEE. 
(1st  Child. 1 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  49 

• 

General  Dockeiy  was  a  great  man  in  many  ways, 
and  an  exceptionally  good  farmer.  One  mor^iing  I 
was  passing  where  the  negroes  were  plowing ;  he  said 
to  them,  "Boys,  if  you  want  to  plow  a  great  deal  in 
a  day,  turn  round  quick  at  the  end.'^ 

This  is  the  trouble  with  a  great  many  people, 
temporally  and  spiritually — they  are  too  long  turn- 
ing ronnd. 

Here  we  met  with  a  great  misfortime.  One  beau- 
tiful Sunday  morning  in  May,  my  wife  washed  and 
dressed  the  children  by  a  small  fire,  and  we  all  went 
to  church  at  Piney  Grove.  When  we  returned  in  the 
afternoon  our  house  was  burned  down  with  every- 
thing w^e  had  in  the  world  except  the  clothes  we  had 
on,  together  wdth  my  library.  I  had  a  right  good 
library,  w^hich  I  had  been  collecting  for  years — all 
swept  away  in  less  than  an  hour.  A  great  many 
people  had  gathered  at  the  scene  of  smoking  chunks, 
and  expressed  great  sympathy  with  us  in  our  loss,  as 
well  as  grief  at  the  loss  of  the  old  homestead.  I 
never  felt  so  lonely  in  all  my  life,  not  only  then,  but 
for  months  afterward.  Our  neighbors  and  friends 
were  exceedingly  kind  to  us,  not  only  there,  but  in  the 
surronnding  counties.  In  a  short  time,  from  various 
sources,  I  had  received  over  t^vo  hundred  dollars  in 
m_oney,  besides  clothing  and  such  things  as  we  needed. 
A  brother  Covington  let  us  have  a  good  house  for 
nothing,  and  we  fixed  up  so  as  to  teach  out  the  school. 

We  never  could  account  for  the  cause  of  the  burn- 
ing of  the  house.  4 


50  LIFE  Aiq^D  LABORS   OF 

Col.  W.  F.  Leak  made  me  a  present  of  Scott's  Com- 
mentaries— six  volumes. 

About  this  time  mv  wife's  father  wrote  to  her  that 
he  had  bought  a  nice  little  farm  three  miles  from 
Hillsboro  in  Orange  County,  and  that  if  she  would 
consent  to  locate  there  he  would  make  her  a  present 
of  it.  It  was  a  good  time  to  move,  as  we  had  scarcely 
anything  to  carry  with  us.  So  we  accepted  his  offer, 
and  about  the  last  of  December  made  our  arrange- 
ments to  leave  the  county  where  we  had  spent  the 
days  of  our  childhood  and  youth. 

The  Pee  Dee  Association  then  embraced  the  coun- 
ties of  Montgomery,  Anson,  Stanly,  Richmond  and 
parts  of  others.  I  attended  most  of  her  sessions  for 
a  number  of  years.  I  have  my  doubts  as  to  whether 
these  small  county  associations  are  as  efficient  as  those 
large  bodies. 

A  few  days  before  Christmas  Brother  H.  G.  Lucas 
took  my  wife  and  the  two  children  to  High  Point,  and 
they  went  on  the  railroad  to  Hillsboro.  Brother 
John  and  I  went  in  a  one-horse  wagon.  We  arrived 
at  Hillsboro  Christmas  day,  1856.  We  spent  the 
Christmas  holidays  pleasantly  at  my  wifes  father's, 
and  the  first  of  January,  1857,  moved  to  our  new 
home,  known  as  the  Bro^^Ti  place.  Here  we  had  a 
nice  little  farm,  comfortable  house,  with  good  barn, 
and  orchard,  and  we  entered  more  fully  upon  the 
duties  and  realities  of  life.  Having  been  raised  on 
the  farm,  T  made  good  crops  of  corn  and  wheat,  and 
raised  plenty  of  hogs  for  my  meat. 


CHAPTEE   IV. 


Pastorates  —  Clement  —  Cool  Springs  —  Mars  Hill  —  Kerrs 
Chapel— Death  of  Mother— Cane  Creek— Mt.  Moriah— Mt. 
Hermon — Antioch— Bethel — A  Colored  Church. 


PASTORATES. 

Now  begins  really  and  more  fully  my  first  pastor- 
ates. I  was  invited  to  visit  Clement  Churcli  in  Per- 
son Coiinty.  So  I  went  the  third  Saturday  and  Sim- 
day  in  January.  I  shall  never  forget  that  visit ;  Sat- 
urday was  a  favorable  day.  That  night  it  turned  cold 
and  commenced  snowing.  Sim^day  morning  the  snow 
was  about  one  foot  deep,  the  air  very  cold  and  the 
snow  still  falling  thick  and  fast.  It  continued  till 
the  snow  was,  on  an  average,  about  three  feet  deep, 
and  unusually  cold.  John  L.  Pleasant,  who  died  in 
Asheville,  was  then  selling  goods  with  W.  A.  Brad- 
sher,  at  Bushy  Fork.  He  went  over  to  Robert  Hes- 
ter's Saturday  night  to  a  debating  society,  and  came 
very  near  freezing  to  death  Sunday  morning  on  his 
way  back.  He  got  into  a  negro's  house  and  was 
saved.  I  remained  at  Brother  W.  A.  Bradsher's  till 
Wednesday  morning,  when  I  left  for  home,  a  dis- 
tance of  fourteen  miles,  on  horseback.  I  had  to  go 
just  as  slow  as  my  horse  could  walk,  for  it  was  like 
wading  in  deep  water.  Sometimes  I  would  come  to 
lanes  and  places  where  it  was  drifted,  and  the  snow 
would  be  eight  and  ten  feet  deep ;  then  I  would  have 


02  LIFE  AITD  LABORS   OF 

tc!  let  do^\^l  tlie  fences,  and  go  round  tlie  best  I  could. 
It  was  about  eight  of  the  clock  when  I  reached  home, 
and  nij  horse  was  nearh^  exhausted.  I  have  never 
seen  an^i^hing  like  it.  A  great  many  birds  and  small 
animals  perished. 

The  church  at  Clement  gave  me  a  call,  which  I 
accepted  at  a  salary  of  one  hundred  dollars.  I  also 
accepted  a  call  to  Mars  Hill,two  miles  from  Hillsboro, 
at  the  same  time.  Tliese  two  churches  were  my  first 
pastorates  in  the  Beulah  Association.  I  was  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Clement  thirteen  years,  and  Mars 
Hill  twelve  years.  There  are  many  pleasant  memo- 
ries connected  with  my  labors  with  these  churches  for 
so  long  a  period.  At  Clement  was  old  Brother  John 
Ellysor,  Stephen  Wilkerson,  W.  A.  Bradsher,  James 
O.  Bradsher,  Joseph  Coleman,  ^N'at  Villines,  Sam 
Briggs,  with  their  noble  Christian  companions,  Jolm. 
Henry,  with  a  host  of  others,  all  gone  to  the  glory 
world.  Some  of  precious  memory  are  still  there — T. 
K.  Glenn,  John  Harris,  Willis  Villines,  Lewis  Hes- 
ter, and  sisters  Ann  Long,  John  Henry,  Kate  Wil- 
liams, and  many  others  which  would  require  too  much 
space  to  mention.  God  only  knows  how  much  hap- 
piness I  have  enjoyed  with  these  families.  I  bap- 
tized and  married  numbers  of  their  children. 

Sister  I.  B.  Pleasant  was  the  first  person  I  baptized 
in  that  country^,  and  her  youngest  daughter  was  the 
last,  about  twenty  years  after,  l)oth  at  Clement.  John 
Blackwell  and  his  wife  raised  a  little  negro  boy  by 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  53 

the  name  of  Lewis.  They  taught  him  to  cook,  card, 
spin,  scAv  and  weave,  and  as  they  had  no  children,  they 
left  him  their  farm  and  other  good  property.  While 
pastor  at  Clement  T  baptized  him,  and  he  grew  up 
to  he  a  good  man,  and  a  good  church  member.  He 
has  built  an  elegant  house,  has  a  nice  family,  is  a  ffood 
farmer,  and  is  respected  by  everybody,  except  the 
negroes,  who  envy  him.  He  goes  by  the  name  of 
Lewis  Blackwell. 

On  one  occasion,  while  retuming  frc;  "  one  of  my 
monthly  visits  to  Clement,  I  was  wnlerljornd  at  Flat 
Kiv^er,  and  spent  the  night  in  ii  cabin  near  by.  The 
cabin  was  small  and  had  only  one  fire-place,  on  which 
all  the  cookinc  was  done.  The  man  had  three  little 
pigs  which  had  evidently  been  raised  in  the  house. 
While  the  good  woman  was  .busy  getting  supper,  one 
of  them  turned  over  the  slop-bucket.  Turning  to 
her  husband  she  exclaimed,  "Well,  Jesus  God,  Jim, 
just  look  thar  at  them  pigs."  Poor  woman,  she  died 
soon  afte'r  and  left  a  dying  request  that  I  should 
preach  her  funeral. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Clement  tJiere  lived  a  noted 
old  bachelor  named  Jimmie  Turner.  He  was  not  a 
member  of  the  church,  but  loved  to  attend  the  ser- 
vices. He  was  fond  of  his  toddy  and  sometimes  took 
a  little  too  much.  There  was  also  a  hardshell 
preacher  in  the  community  named  Llall.  The  hard- 
ehells  always  preach  a  man  into  heaven,  it  matters 
not  what  his  life  has  been.     Jimmie  was  very  fond 


54  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

of  me  and  also  of  Brother  Hall.  One  day,  as  I  was 
returning  from  Clement,  I  met  Jimmie  on  the  road. 
He  was  just  enough  under  tlie  influence  of  his  toddy 
to  make  him  talkative.  Putting  his  arm  over  my 
horse's  neck  he  began  telling  me  how  much  he  loved 
me.  When  he  had  about  exhausted  his  vocabulary 
and  my  patience,  he  wound  up  by  saying,  ^Well, 
Brother  Jordan,  I  want  you  to  do  my  preaching 
while  I  am  living,  but  I  want  old  Hall  to  preach  my 
funeral.'^  There  was  another  hardshell  preacher  in 
the  commuuity  named  Quint  Ward.  He  was  an 
unusually  eccentric  character,  and  in  his  preaching 
dealt  largely  in  personalities.  A  man  named  Paul 
Terrell  lived  near  him.  His  life  was  not  altogether 
exemplary,  and  after  his  death  Brother  Ward,  in  one 
of  his  sermons,  said  some  uncomplimentary  things 
about  him.  His  family  was  very  much  offended, 
and  the  three  sons  agreed  that  whichever  one  met  him 
first  should  thresh  him.  In  a  few  days  one  of  them 
met  him  in  the  woods,  took  him  from  his  horse,  and 
gave  him  a  severe  pummelling,  telling  him  he  might 
preach  as  much  as  he  pleased  about  Paul  the  Apos- 
tie^  but  he  must  keep  his  mouth  off  of  Paul  Terrell. 
He  was  visiting  Raleigh  once  during  a  session  of  the 
Legislature,  and  requested  the  privilege  of  preaching 
in  the  hall  of  the  Senate  on  a  Simday  morning.  Just 
for  a  little  fun  the  members  granted  his  request.  Dr. 
Pritchard  was  then  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  and 
J.  H.  Mills,  editor  of  the  Recorder.     In  his  sermon 


ELBEK  F.  M.   JORDAN.  55 

the  old  man  said,  while  crticising  almost  everybody, 
''This  little  fellow  Tom  Pritchard  is  a  pretty  good 
declaimer,  but  most  any  school-boy  can  beat  him  at 
that,  and  as  for  this  man  Jack  Mills,  he's  killing  him- 
self drinking  whiskey."  Pritchard  was  a  good 
declaimer,  but  Mills  never  drank  whiskey.  His  fat, 
rosy  cheeks  were  signs  of  good  health,  and  not  of 
drink. 

MARS    HILL. 

Our  membership  was  at  Mars  Hill,  where  I  was 
pastor  for  twelve  years.  Here  we  had  many  good 
meetings  and  happy  seasons.  There  are  many  fond 
recollections  which  cluster  around  Mars  Hill.  Soon 
after  we  moved  to  Orange  my  brother,  John  Jordan, 
bought  a  place  near  by  us,  and  moved  there  from 
Montgomery  County,  with  my  mother.  It  was  a 
great  pleasure  and  comfort  to  have  my  mother,  and 
brother  with  his  family,  near  by  us.  And  then  we 
had  such  good  neighbors  and  associations — my  fath- 
er-in-law Samuel  Holeman,  John  Riley,  John  Red- 
ding, Wm.  Ward,  Henry  Whitted,  Aunt  Polly  Mil- 
ler, Sister  Parrish,  the  Funcetts,  and  many  others. 
At  the  close  of  twelve  years  I  thought  it  best  to  make 
a  change;  so  I  resigned,  and  the  church  called  Elder 
F.  H.  Jones.  Under  his  leadership  the  church  pros- 
pered, and  we  had  a  good  time  during  all  his  pas- 
torate. Brother  Jones  pabtized  our  three  oldest 
children,  Julia,  Sam  and  Willie.     When  he  resigned 


56  LIFE   AXD  LABORS   OF 

the  church  called  Elder  J,  II.  Vernon,  and  during 
liis  pastorate  with  ns  he  baptized  our  two  younger 
daughters,  Jennie  and  Fanny. 

COOL  SriilXG. 

About  five  miles  west  of  Hillsboro  was  an  old  Pres- 
byterian meeting-house,  which  had  been  abandoned 
by  the  Presbyterians.  There  was  no  Baptist,  and 
little  preaching  of  any  kind  in  that  community.  The 
house  stood  on  the  land  Monging  to  Mr.  John  Bain, 
an  old  Presbyterian ;  I  got  permission  of  him  to 
preach  there  once  a  month.  We  had  good  congrega- 
tions, and  the  people  seemed  delighted  with  having 
preaching  there.  We  held  a  meeting  or  two,  of  days, 
and  quite  a  number  made  a  profession  of  religion, 
and  I  baptized  them  in  Mr.  Bain's  mill-pond.  It 
was  thought  advisable  to  organize  a  Baptist  church 
there;  so  the  arrangement  was  made;  the  time  set, 
and  I  invited  Elder  G.  W.  Purefoy  to  aid  in  the 
organization.  He  came,  and  a  large  congregation 
assembled  at  the  old  meeting-house.  It  was  a  beau- 
tiful day.  Elder  Purefoy  preached  a  sermon  suita- 
ble to  the  occasion.  And  when  we  w^ere  about  going 
into  the  organization  Mr.  Bain  objected,  said  we 
should  not  organize  a  Baptist  church  in  that  house, 
nor  on  his  land.  So  Ave  repaired  to  a  log  in  the 
woods,  just  off  Mr.  Bain's  land,  the  whole  congrega- 
tion following,  and  there  we  organized  Cool  Spring 
Baptist  ChurclL      We  then   had   a   church,   but  no 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  57 

house.  When  I  moved  to  Orang'e  County,  old  sister 
Washington  lived  with  Governor  W.  A.  Graham,  her 
son-in-law,  and  as  she  helped  me  so  much  while  I 
was  at  Wake  Forest,  she  seemed  to  be  very  fond  of 
me  and  Avonld  frequently  go  to  hear  me  preach,  both 
at  Mars  Hill  and  at  Cool  Spring.  During  a  pro- 
tracted meeting  at  either  place  she  would  gather  up 
her  carriage  full  of  such  as  had  no  way  but  to  walk, 
and  carry  them  to  church.  She  was  a  great  woman, 
and  her  gTeatness  consisted  in  her  goodness.  She 
certainly  had  the  mind  and  spirit  of  Christ  in  look- 
ing after  the  poor  and  needy,  and  helping  those  who 
could  not  help  themselves.  She  told  me  that  she 
had  given  her  children  about  all  that  she  expected, 
and  that  she  had  some  money  she  wanted  to  give  in 
building  meeting-houses,  educating  preachers,  and 
such  objects  of  benevolence  as  she  thought  would 
accomplish  the  greatest  amoimt  of  good.  I  pro- 
cured a  nice  lot  near  the  railroad,  five  miles  from 
Hillsboro,  and  Sister  W^ashington  gave  me  one 
himdred  dollars  in  money,  and  with  other  help  I 
had  a  good  house  built,  which  stands  there  to-day,  a 
monument  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  God. 

1  was  pastor  of  Cool  Spring  Church  eleven  years, 
which  was  always  weak,  financially,  and,  like  many 
others,  has  had  her  ups  and  downs  and  ebbs  and 
flows,  but  I  learn  that  they  still  maintain  the  preach- 
ing of  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God.  While 
Sister  Washington  is  in  heaven,  she  has  many  invest- 


58  LIFE  ANB  LABOKS   OF 

ments  on  earth,  still  working  to  the  praise  and  glory 
of  God.  I  was  in  Hillsboro  on  Thursday  before  she 
died  on  Saturday.  She  heard  I  was  in  town,  and 
sent  for  me  to  go  and  see  her.  I  went;  she  seemed 
to  be  as  well  as'usual,  and  we  had  a  pleasant  conversa- 
tion of  some  two  hours.  Wlien  I  was  about  to  leave 
for  home,  she  said  she  had  some  little  presents  she 
wanted  to  make  to  me  and  my  wife.  So  she  gave  me 
fifty  dollars  in  money,  and  my  wife  two  fine  black 
dresses  and  an  elegant  cloak.  Of  course  we  prized 
these  things  very  highly,  but  not  half  so  much  as  the 
love  and  friendship  of  such  a  noble  Christian  woman. 
She  died  Saturday  evening,  two  days  after. 

In  those  days  1  preached  very  often  to  the  colored 
people.  The  Grahams,  Euflins,  ISTashes,  Camerons, 
Turners,  and  others,  owned  a  great  many  negroes, 
and,  living  with  such  intelligent  families,  they  were 
more  than  average  in  intelligence  themselves.  I  bap- 
tized and  married  a  good  many  of  them.  John  'Nor- 
wood  had  a  colored  woman  who  was  afflicted;  had  not 
walked  for  about  seven  years ;  but  she  was  exceed- 
ingly anxious  to  be  baptized.  They  told  her  it  would 
kill  her ;  but  she  finally  consented  and  I  baptized  her 
at  Mars  Hill.  Two  of  the  brethren  carried  her  in 
a  chair  down  into  the  creek,  and  I  baptized  her  and 
the  chair.  She  soon  recovered  from  her  illness,  and 
was  able  to  do  good  service.  She  is  now  living  in 
Hillsboro,  in  a  good  home,  attending  to  her  household 
duties.     During  the  four  years  of  the  war  I  preached 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  59 

at  Cool  Spring  at  11  o'clock,and  to  the  colored  people 
in  the  basement  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Hillsboro, 
in  the  afternoon.  They  paid  me  well ;  I  recollect  one 
evening  thev  took  up  a  collection  for  me  in  Confed- 
erate money,  and  there  was  such  a  bulk  of  it  that  I 
had  to  tie  it  up  in  my  pocket  handkerchief  to  carry  it 
home;  but  soda  was  fifty  cents  per  pound  and  Irish 
potatoes  were  thirty  dollars  per  bushel. 

KERR^S    CHAPEL. 

Soon  after  locating  in  Orange  I  was  invited  to 
preach  at  Kerr's  Chapel,  in  Caswell  County,  a  dis- 
tance of  twenty-five  miles.  The  church  had  well 
nigh  gone  down.  They  had  a  good  house,  standing  in 
a  beautiful  grove,  in  a  magnificent  country.  The 
first  Simday  1  preached  there  only  twenty-five  per- 
sons were  present.  The  prospect  looked  gloomy ;  but 
these  were  a  few  of  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  solid  as 
the  rocks.  They  gave  me  a  call,  which  I  accepted, 
and  began  to  preach  there,  I  think,  in  1858.  We 
soon  had  good  congregations,  and  the  church  took  on 
new  life ;  we  had  some  glorious  meetings,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  was  with  us  in  great  pow^r.  I  baptized 
a'  goodly  number  of  the  best  people  of  the  coimtry. 
Among  the  number  was  old  Sister  Eachael  Walker, 
one  of  the  most  noble,  benevolent  women  of  the  land. 
She  had  a  hope  for  a  long  time,  but  was  rather  of  the 
anti-mission  persuasion,and  it  seemed  hard  for  her  to 
decide  which  way  to  go.  But  during  a  good  meeting 


60  LIFE   AND  LABOKS    OF 

at  the  Chapel  she  settled  the  question,  and  when  the 
opportunity  was  given  she  came  f  orT\^ard  to  unite  with 
the  chnrch.  She  had  not  more  than  taken  her  seat 
when  her  noble  son,  A.  B.  Walker,  came  trembling, 
fell  on  his  knees  by  her  side,  and  asked  her  and  the 
people  of  God  to  pray  for  him.  He  soon  made  a  full 
surrender  to  the  captain  of  our  great  salvation,  and 
was  happy  in  his  love. 

Sister  Bettie  Baines,  and  others,  were  gi'eatly  con- 
cerned about  the  salvation  of  her  husband  ;  and  he  was 
miserable,  left  the  meeting,  and  went  to  Danville 
without  any  business,  to  get  away  from  the  meeting ; 
but  the  Holy  Spirit  followed  him,  brought  him  back, 
and  he  was  happily  converted  to  God.  At  the  close 
of  the  meeting  it  was  my  pleasure  to  baptize  old  Sis- 
ter Walker,  her  son  and  daughter — Bruce  and  Kate — 
and  Thornton  Baines,  with  a  number  of  lovely  young 
people,  in  Sister  Walker's  mill-pond.  It  was  a  time 
of  great  rejoicing.  Brother  Bruce  Walker's  wife  was 
a  Presbvterian,  raised  in  Tennessee.  She  became 
convinced  that  she  ought  to  be  baptized,  and  seemed 
to  be  happy  in  anticipation  of  the  act  of  obedience. 
While  standing  on  the  bank  of  the  stream  looking 
down  into  the  liquid  grave,  she  said :  "'Thank  God  for 
the  privilege  of  putting  my  feet  in  the  footprints  of 
my  blessed  Savior."  She  came  up  out  of  the  water 
shouting,  and  just  walked  back  and  forth,  blessing 
and  praising  God.  And  oh,  what  good  church  mem- 
bers were  all  these. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAISr.  61 

T  was  pastor  of  tlie  Chapel  eleven  years,  and  one 
happy  scene  after  another  transpired  all  the  way 
through.  The  church  grew  to  be  strong  and  influen- 
tial. Old  Brother  Thomas  W.  Graves  was  a  mem- 
ber at  the  Chapel,  and  though  he  lived  eleven  miles 
aw^ay,  I  am  confident  he  was  not  absent  from  the  reg- 
ular meetings  a  half  dozen  times  in  eleven  years,  and 
generally  the  first  man  at  church.  We  generally 
spent  the  night  together ;  and  the  Lord  only  knows 
the  happy  seasons  we  have  had  at  Alvis  Lee's,  Wood 
Covington's,  old  Sister  Walker's,  Thorton  Baine's, 
and  many  other  places.  Most,  if  not  aU  of  those  good 
brethren  and  sisters  have  been  gathered  home,  and 
are  with  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect  around 
the  throne  of  God.  Were  I  to  visit  the  Chapel  now 
I  doubtless  should  know  scarcely  any  one  there. 

While  pastor  at  the  Chapel  I  preached  at  Burke's 
school-house,  between  the  Chapel  and  Yanceyville. 
Here  Ave  had  several  protracted  meetings  and  glorious 
revivals  of  religion.  The  converts  were  received  into 
the  fellowship  of  Kerr's  Chapel  and  baptized.  Elder 
F.  H.  Jones  was  with  me  in  several  meetings  at  this 
place,  and  old  Brother  Thomas  W.  Graves  all  the 
time. 

DEATH    OF    MY    MOTHER. 

My  mother  lived  with  my  brother  John.  She  fell 
from  the  stairw^ay  and  broke  her  thigh,  from  which 
for  weeks  she  suifered  the  most  excruciating  pain. 


62  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

From  some  cause  she  wanted  to  come  to  mj  house. 
With  ,2Teat  difficulty  we  brought  her,  and  put  her  in 
my  office,  and  made  her  just  as  comfortable  as  possi- 
ble, and  gave  her  every  attention  within  our  reach. 
She  died  in  my  office  in  the  spring  of  1872,  in  the 
77th  years  of  her  age.  In  early  life  she  gave  her 
heart  to  Christ,  and  lived  an  earnest,  pious,  devoted 
Christian,  and  died  in  the  triumph  of  faith,  with  a 
bright  hope  of  heaven.  She  was  buried  at  Mars  Hill, 
Orange  County,  two  miles  north  of  Hillsboro. 

CANE    CREEK. 

I  was  pastor  at  Cane  Creek,  in  Orange  County, 
nine  miles  south  of  Hillsboro,  five  years.  Here  we 
had  some  precious  meetings,  and  I  baptized  many 
happy  converts.  I  still  hold  in  memory  the  delights 
ful  seasons  I  have  had,  both  at  church  and  the  hospi- 
table homes  of  Thomas  D.  Oldham,  John  Moore,  Wil- 
liam Sykes,  Wyatt  and  Thomas  J.  Cates,  the  Craw- 
fords,  and  a  host  of  others.  I  remember,  at  this 
place,  on  Saturday  while  I  was  preaching,  I  saw  quite 
a  number  of  the  members  going  to  sleep.  I  stopped 
and  made  this  observation,  ^'It  seems  that  my  preach- 
ing is  having  a  very  soothing  effect.  I  see  it  is  puir 
ting  a  good  many  of  you  to  sleep.  'Now,  we'll  sing  a 
song  while  you  all  wake  up."  I  commenced  singing, 
and  by  the  time  I  got  through  with  the  song  tliey  were 
wide  awake.  This  church  was  noted  for  having  a 
great  many  members  by  the  same  name.     Cates  was 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  63 

tlie  largest.  Thej  would  call  the  roll  on  Saturday's, 
and  it  was  Gates,  Gates,  Gates.  It  was  said  in  that 
country,  that  if  you  met  a  man  and  called  him  Sykes, 
and  happened  to  miss  it,  just  say,  ''I  am  mistaken, 
this  is  lsh\  Gates,"  and  you  would  be  certain  to  hit 
it.  There  is  a  poor  glady,  blackjack  section  between 
Gane  Greek  and  Hillsboro.  Young  Tom  Oldham 
said  you  might  plant  peas  there,  and  you  could  hear 
them  for  three  weeks,  grunting,  trying  to  get  up. 

MT.    MORIAII. 

I  was  pastor  of  this  church,  in  Orange  Gounty,  for 
-^YB  years.  This  was  on  the  road  leading  from  Ghapel 
Hill  to  Durham,  in  a  beautiful  and  flourishing  sec- 
tion of  country.  Here  we  had  precious  meetings, 
and  time  and  again  we  repaired  to  Patterson's  Mill 
for  the  purpose  of  administering  the  ordinance  of 
baptism.  The  beloved  G.  W.  Purefoy  lived  near 
Ghapel  Hill,  and  he  would  generally  be  present  on 
these  occasions,  and  give  a  Bible  reading,  and  talk 
on  the  subject  of  baptism.  And  you  may  rest  well 
assured  that  they  were  clinchers.  It  was  said  of  him 
that  he  would  hunt  Methodists  in  the  summer  and 
foxes  in  the  winter.  He  chased  Methodists  to  bring 
them  to  the  truth,  and  foxes  for  his  health. 

Oh,  the  happy  nights  and  seasons  I  have  spent  at 
the  charming  homes  of  Deacon  Abel  Maddrey,  Wm. 
StrainJ  John  Kogers,  Robert  Patterson,  and  many 


64  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

others  in  that  cominimity.  Abel  Maddrey  was  one 
of  the  best  deacons  I  ever  saw ;  he  generally  kept  the 
finances  of  the  church  straight  and  in  good  condition. 

MT.   HEEMON. 

I  was  pastor  of  this  chnrch  for  several  years ;  do 
not  remember  just  how  long.  I  do  not  remember 
anvthine:  verv  striking:  in  connection  with  this  church. 
We  had  some  good  meetings,  and  I  baptized  quite  a 
number  of  good  people.  Here  I  remember  with 
great  pleasure  the  Strayhorns,  Pratts,  Hunters,  and 
many  others.  Old  Brother  Jesse  Howell  was  pastor 
of  this  church  for  many  years. 

AISTTIOCH. 

This  church  is  in  Person  County,  ^ve  miles  south- 
east of  Roxboro.  T  was  pastor  here  five  years,  and 
never  had  a  more  delightful  pastorate.  At  this  time 
this  was  a  new  church,  located  in  a  thickly  settled, 
thriving  community.  This  country  had  been  in  a 
large  measure  under  the  anti-mission,  or  hardshell 
influence.  But  under  the  preaching  of  the  word, 
directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  church  grew  in  num- 
bers, power  and  influence.  We  had  glorious  revivals 
and  great  ingatherings,  and  frequently  repaired  to 
Brother  Barton's  mill  to  baptize  believers.  I  recol- 
lect Brother  John  Mitchell  was  with  me  in  a  great 
meeting  there,  and  David  Moore,  of  the  anti-mission 


ELDKIJ    K.   M.    JORDAN.  65 

persuasion,  and  his  family  attended  the  meeting.  His 
Avife  made  a  bright  profession  of  religion,  and  desired 
to  unite  with  tlie  church  and  be  baptized,  for  she 
was  a  strong  missionary  in  her  feelings ;  but  her  hus- 
band told  lier  that  if  she  joined  the  Missionary  Bap- 
tists he  believed  it  would  kill  him.  She  told  him  she 
(lid  not  tliink  it  would,  and  the  last  I  heard  of  her 
she  had  not  joined  the  church,  but  held  firmly  to  her 
missionary  principles.  But  Brother  Moore  would 
sing  and  pray  in  the  meeting,  and  one  day  he  got  so 
happy  that  he  lay  flat  down  on  the  floor,  held  out  his 
hand,  and  said  to  Brother  Mitchell,  ''I  can  call  you 
brother  now."  Some  thought  he  would  come  over, 
but  lie  never  did.  Two  others — sisters —  got  happy,, 
and  seemed  to  greatly  enjoy  the  meeting.  The  old 
churcli  at  Flat  River  had  them  all  disciplined  for 
going  to  the  meeting,  taking  part,  and  getting  happy. 
The  only  way  they  could  keep  from  being  excluded 
was  to  say  they  were  sorry,  and  promise  that  they 
would  not  go  there  any  more. 

There  were  two  good  Methodist  sisters  in  this  com- 
munity;  one  of  them  was  convinced  that  she  had 
never  been  baptized,  and  that  she  ought  to  obey  Christ 
by  being  buried  with  him  in  baptism.  So  she  joined 
the  church,  and  I  baptized  her.  She  came  up  out  of 
the  water,  shouting  happy.  Her  sister  was  standing 
by,  pouting  mad  because  her  sister  had  left  her  and 
joined  the  Baptists,  and  said,  ''Whenever  I  am  bap- 


66  LIFE  AND  LABOES   OF 

tized,  tlie  heavens  and  the  earth  will  come  together.- ' 
In  less  than  twelve  months  I  baptized  her  in  the  same 
place,  and  they  have  not  come  together  yet.  And  so 
it  went  on,  by  preaching  the  whole  truth  plainly, 
independently,  and  lovingly,  I  would  steal  the  Meth- 
odists and  the  children  of  the  hardshells,  and  baptize 
them. 

Of  conrse  my  Pedobaptist  friends  did  not  feel 
kindly  toward  me,  especially  the  preachers.  I  recol- 
lect there  was  a  meeting  going  on  at  a  Methodist 
church  on  the  way  from  my  house  to  Antioch.  So 
on  my  way  home  Monday  I  stopped  in  there  for  ser- 
vice. There  were  tAvo  preachers  there ;  both  seemed 
to  be  glad  that  I  had  come,  and  insisted  that  I  preach. 
T  consented,  and  at  the  close  of  my  sermon  there 
seemed  to  be  deep  feeling ;  quite  a  number  came  for- 
ward for  prayer,  and  many  were  weeping  in  the  con- 
gregation. We  had  a  song  and  prayer,  and  one  of 
these  preachers  took  occasion  to  give  me  one  of  the 
worst  scourgings  that  any  poor  fellow  ever  got  on 
earth.  He  gave  me  to  understand  that  I  was  an 
imwelcome  intruder,  and  had  no  business  there.  He 
"said :  "'Unless  we,  the  Methodists,  will  go  doA\m  into 
the  water,  and  be  buried  beneath  the  yielding  wave 
they  talk  so  miich  about,  we  may  all  go  to  hell,  so  far 
as  the  Baptists  are  concerned."  These  are  his  pre- 
cise words.  Further,  he  said  to  the  people :  ^^Unless 
you  have  a  certain  man  to  preach  to  you,  and  a  cer- 
tain man  to  pray  for  you,  you  are  not  going  to  bo 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  67 

nioiirners  anyway.''  And  then  lie  compared  me  to  a 
large  fishing-hawk  sailing  over  a  stream,  spying  a 
fish,  and  then  darting  doA\Ti  and  catching  it.  The 
trouble  was,  I  had  caught  eight  of  his  fish,  and  put 
them  on  mv  string.  T  would  s^ive  five  dollars  now 
for  all  that  he  did  say  on  that  occasion.  Most  of  my 
friends  left  the  house,  and  there  was  great  confusion. 
The  spirit  of  the  meeting  was  killed.  On  the  next 
day  I  was  told  there  was  not  a  vehicle  on  the  ground, 
and  the  meeting  closed. 

Brother  W.  seemed  to  be  remarkably  sorry  that 
Brother  T.  acted  as  he  did ;  did  not  think  he  would 
have  done  such  a  thing.  Some  time  after  that  I  met 
Brother  T.  in  the  town  of  Durham ;  he  took  me  to  one 
side,  and  said  that  he  wanted  to  make  an  apology  for 
treating  me  as  he  did  on  the  above-named  occasion, 
without  which  he  felt  that  he  could  not  die  satisfied ; 
that  he  treated  me  badly,  and  that  he  did  not  gain 
anything  by  it,  and  that  if  it  had  not  been  for 
Brother  W.  he  would  not  have  done  it;  so  there 
seemed  to  be  a  contradiction. 

If  the  eye  of  Brother  Henry  A.  Reams,of  Durham, 
and  others,  should  ever  fall  upon  these  lines,  they  will 
remember  the  above  scene  distinctly,  for  it  was  bound 
to  make  an  indelible  impression. 

I  was  charged  with  being  a  great  proselyter,  and  s<^ 
1  was;  but  I  never  took  any  unscriptural  or  imfair 
turn  to  get  people  to  join  the  Baptist  Church.  I  said 
boldly   and  publicly  that  if  preaching  God's   truth 


68  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

made  people  Baptists  it  was  my  purpose  to  make  all 
I  possibly  could.  I  never  was  a  policy  m.an  in  poli- 
tics nor  religion,  and  told  the  people  plainly  that  I 
did  not  want  them  to  join  the  Baptist  church,  nor 
would  T  baptize  them,  unless  convinced  that  they  came 
from  principle. 

BETHEL. 

T  was  pastor  of  this  church  in  Person  County, 
which  is  located  about  ten  miles  north  of  Roxboro, 
for  three  years.  This  was  a  flourishing  church,  in  a 
thickly  settled  community,  of  good,  substantial  peo- 
ple. IT  ere  we  had  some  wonderful  demonstrations  of 
the  presence  and  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  I 
baptized  a  goodly  number  into  the  fellowship  of  tliat 
church  ;  among  the  number  were  four  sisters  of  W.  T. 
Black w^ell,  the  founder  of  tlie  city  of  Durham,  the 
great  tobacco  man,  known  almost,  if  not  all  over  the 
world.  Two  of  these  sisters  were  twins,  and  so  near 
alike  that  I  never  could  tell  them  apa.rt.  They  were 
always  dressed  just  alike,  without  a  ribbon's  diifer- 
ence,  and  both  went  down  into  the  water  together.  It 
was  a  lovely  scene.  Soon  after  their  baptism  they 
both  died  of  typhoid  fever.  The'  family,  and  espe- 
ciallv  W.  T.,  have  ever  been  mv  warmest  and  inost 
devoted  friends.  Old  Brother  D.  A.  Harris  had  a 
beautiful  pond  where  we  met  to  administer  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism. 


ELDER   F.    M.   JORDAN.  <^)5^ 

A   COLORED  CHURCH. 

There  was  a  settlement  of  colored  people  in  Hali- 
fax (bounty,  Virc^inia,  just  over  the  State  line  from 
Bethel,  who  were  free  before  the  war,  and  almost 
white.  They  once  belonged  at  Bethel,  but  finally 
built  a  c:ood  house,  and  orscanized  a  church  of  their 
own,  in  their  settlement.  1'hey  had  good  farms,  and 
g(X>d  homes,  and  everything  in  good  order.  I 
preached  for  them  two  years  as  pastor,  and  they  paid 
two  hundred  dollars  per  year.  The  distance  was 
some  forty  miles.  T  went  once  a  month.  We  had 
good  meetings,  and  I  baptized  a  number  of  them.  I 
would  take  dinner  with  them,  (and  elegant  dinners 
they  were)  and  spend  the  night  with  my  white  breth- 
ren. I  had  a  very  pretty,  heavy-built  pony,  named 
Boston,  that  I  drove  thousands  of  miles  all  over  that 
county;  drove  him  in  a  buggy  that  David  Wri2:ht 
made  for  me  in  Troy,  Montgomery"  County,  when  I 
went  to  get  married.  I  kept  the  buggy  twenty  years, 
and  sold  it  for  fourteen  dollars  at  my  sale  in  Orange. 
I  brought  my  pony  to  the  mountains,  kept  him  till 
ho  was  seventeen  years  old,  and  sold  him  for  forty 
dollars,  which  money  my  son  James  took  and  went 
V>  Wake  Forest  College. 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  War — Beulah  Association — Union  Meetings— Incidents — 
Another  Hawk — Whiskey  for  Medicine — A  Promising 
Bo3^ — Work  in  Winston— First  Church  in  Winston. 


THE  WAK. 


During  the  war,  which  began  in  1861,  I  was  pas- 
tor of  four  churches,  and  preached  a  great  deal  all 
over  the  country,  at  school-houses  and  private  houses,, 
as  there  were  a  great  many  women  and  children  who 
could  not  go  to  church,  and  they  needed  the  consola- 
tions of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  This  was  a  time  of 
great  confusion,  trouble  and  suffering.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  I  could  not  bear  for  the  war  to  begin.  The 
thought  that  the  people  of  the  United  States  should 
engage  in  a  cruel,  bloody  war  produced  a^vful  feel- 
ings, with  many  sad  and  lonesome  hours. 

As  I  lived  on  the  road  leading  to  the  depot,  we 
heard  and  saw  several  companies  pass  on  to  the  dread- 
ful scene  of  action.  As  they  were  passing  the  drams 
were  beating  and  fifes  playing.  ''Poor  fellows !''  I 
said.  ''Many  of  you  are  going  away,  never  to 
return.''  While  the  companies  were  drilling  at 
rialeigh,  T  went  do^\^l  and  preached  some  to  the  sol- 
diers in  camp,  and  as  we  lived  near  the  depot  we  fed 
and  cared  for  hundreds  of  the  poor  soldiers  as  they 
would  pass  to  and  from  the  army. 

At  the  time  of  the  surrender  there  were  numbers 


7 "2  LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 

in  camp  at  the  old  race  track  l)etween  inv  house  and 
llillsboro.  It  was  a  time  of  great  excitement,  the 
great  struggle  was  winding  up,  the  companies  and 
regiments  were  disbanding,  and  from  all  quarters  the 
■soldiers  were  wending  their  way  toward  the  loved 
ones  at  home.  I  was  planting  corn.  One  morning  I 
"went  to  catch  my  horses  and  they  were  both  gone^ — 
•stolen.  But  the  war  was  ended,  and  horses  and 
almost  evecrjthing  else,  we  felt,  were  small  things 
•compared  with  the  closing  of  the  war. 

THE  BEULAH  ASSOCLITIOX. 

At  that  time  the  Beulah  Association  embraced  seven 
bounties — Orange,  Person,  Caswell,  Guilford,  Rock- 
ingham, Forsvth  and  Stokes.  So  the  Association 
then  was  a  big  tiling,  and  contained  a  great  many 
preachers  and  churches,  with  a  large  membership. 
It  was  no  small  matter  to  go  to  the  Association,  for 
sometimes  it  would  meet  fifty  miles  away,  and  yet  the 
<3hurches  were  generally  well  represented,  and  we  had 
to  go  either  on  horseback,  in  a  buggy,  or  on  foot.  I 
lived  in  the  bounds  of  this  Association  twenty  years, 
and  was  present  nineteen  sessions  out  of  twenty.  The 
time  I  was  absent  I  was  sick  with  chills  and  fever. 
The  Association  met  at  Redbank,  in  Forsytli  County. 
1  was  told  that  when  it  was  learned  that  Brother  Jor- 
dan was  sick  and  would  not  be  there,  and  it  was  sug- 
gested that  special  prayer  be  offered  for  Brother  Jor- 
dan,  Dr.   Wingate  led   in  prayer;   after  which  Dr. 


EI.DEK    F.    M.   JORDAN. 


8 


irufhain  remarked  that  a  man  crnild  afford  to  die 
every  once  in  a  wliile  to  liave  siieli  a  prayer  as  tliat 
prayed  for  him. 

UXIOX     MEETINGS. 

We  held  a  union  meeting  every  fifth  Sunday  some- 
where in  the  bound  of  the  Assocation.  I  was  present 
at  every  one  of  these  fifth  Sunday  meetings  for  seven 
years.  The  distance  nor  the  weather  kept  me  away, 
when  T  was  able  to  go.  I  recollect  on  one  occasion 
brethren  J.  11.  Mills  and  J.  D.  Hufham  spent  the 
night  with  us,  on  their  way  to  the  union  meeting  at 
Kerr's  Chapel.  ^NText  morning  the  snow  was  falling 
beautifully ;  it  was  twenty-five  miles ;  the  brethren 
thought  it  was  too  bad  to  go.  I  told  them  no,  that  it 
would  probably  clear  aAvay  by  Saturday,  and  that  we 
must  go.  So  we  started,  and  the  snow  fell  thicker 
and  faster.  Late  in  the  evening  the  bushes  were  so 
laden  Avith  snow  and  sleet  that  they  were  lapped  across 
our  road.  T  would  open  the  way,  and  tell  the  breth- 
ren to  come  ahead.  At  length  we  reached  the  hos- 
pitable home  of  Brother  Thornton  Y.  Baynes,  where 
we  had  every  comfort  that  heart  could  wish,  and 
which  T  don't  think  these  brethren  ever  enjoyed  more. 
The  A^eather  took  a  favorable  turn,  and  we  went  on  to 
the  Chapel  and  had  a  good  meeting.  Many  of  these 
meetings  were  about  as  interesting  as  the  meeting  of 
the  Association,  and  would  be  protracted,  and  result 
in  glorious  revivals  of  religion.     I  remember  one  at 


74  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

Ptedbank  in  the  winter,  at  the  close  of  which  I  bap- 
tized fourteen  lovely  young  people,  when  the  snow 
was  about  two  inches  deep,  and  falling  beautifully ^ 
one  of  whom  is  the  wife  of  our  Brother  R.  W.  Crews. 
The  Association  met  in  Greensboro  in  August, 
1865,  just  after  the  war  closed  in  the  spring.  From 
some  cause  there  were  a  ffood  manv  vankee  soldiers 
left  there,  and  quite  a  number  of  them  attended  the 
meeting,  so  we  had  to  be  very  particular  as  to  what 
we  said,  lest  we  might  go  to  the  guard-house.  I 
remember,  Sunday  evening  some  of  the  brethren  and 
I  were  invited  to  take  tea  with  old  Brother  F.,  who 
lived  near  a  mile  from  town,  and  who  belonged  to  the 
F.  F.  Vs.  of  old  Virginia.  We  spent  the  evening 
pleasantly  in  conversation,  eating  melons  and  canta- 
loupes, supposing  that  we  would  have  tea  in  time  to 
get  back  to  church.  It  was  growing  late,  about  time 
to  start  to  church,  but  no  tea ;  the  bell  rang,  I  was  rest- 
less and  began  to  have  the  fidgets,  but  no  tea.  The 
women  folks  were  at  home,  but  we  had  not  seen  one 
of  them.  xVt  length  it  was  too  late  to  go  to  churchy 
and  we  gave  that  all  up,  but  still  no  tea.  After  a 
long  time,  all  sitting  in  the  parlor,  the  biggest  little 
negro  I  ever  saw  came  in  with  the  biggest  waiter  they 
ever  made,  with  more  on  it  than  you  can  imagine,  of 
all  sorts  of  cakes  and  nicknacks  of  all  description, 
with  cups  and  saucers  and  a  pot  of  coifee.  So  there 
we  were,  with  a  cup  of  hot  coifee  in  one  hand,  and 
which  we  could  not  let  go,  and  nowhere  in  the  world 


ELDER  F.  M.    JORDAN.  75 

to  set  it,  and  with  the  other  hand  take  something  ont 
of  that  big  waiter.  After  worrying  a  long  time  I 
([uit,  hnngry,  because  of  the  inconvenience  to  which 
we  were  subjected.  I  would  have  given  anything, 
within  the  bounds  of  reason,  for  a  little  table  not 
larger  than  my  two  hands. 

It  was  then  late  in  the  night,  and  I  thought  they 
certainly  expected  us  to  spend  the  night  there;  when 
lo,  and  behold,  we  had  to  go  back  to  our  homes 
assigned  us  in  the  city.  We  started,  and  when 
we  got  in  towai,  church  was  over,  the  people  had 
retired,  and  ever\i;hing  was  still,  except  the  dogs. 
When  I  got  to  my  home  a  big,  ugly  dog  met  me  at 
the  gate,  and  said  by  his  looks  and  actions,  ^'You 
can't  come  in  here."  I  couldn't  wake  anybody  up, 
^^o  I  gave  up  in  dispair.  Finally  I  decided  to  go  to 
Brother  Jolley's,  a  good  family  in  town,  with  whom 
I  was  well  acquainted,  and  see  if  I  could  get  in  there. 
I  went,  and  another  ferocious  dog  met  me,  and  would 
not  let  me  in,  neither  could  I  arouse  any  of  the  fam- 
ily. I  said  ''Lord,  wdiat  shall  I  do.  I  am  forty  miles 
from  Patsy  and  the  children,  and  nowhere  to  stay." 
[  finally  went  back  to  my  boarding-house,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  waking  up  a  negro,  who  guarded  me  to  my 
room,  wdiere  I  spent  the  shank  of  the  night.  So  I 
said,  ^^the  Lord  deliver  me  from  fashionable  Society, 
and  handed  suppers !" 

I  attended  quite  a  number  of  meetings  at  Bruce's 


76  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

( 'ross  Koads,  twelve  miles  west  of  Greensboro,  and 
some  of  them  glorious  revival  meetings.  Here  the 
hardshells,  the  ]^[ethodists  and  the  Quakers  were 
preltv  strong,  and  the  Baptists  had  rather  slow  and 
rongh  sailing.  But  Dr.  S.  A.  Powell,  Dr.  Winches- 
ter and  old  Brother  Brown  were  a  Avhole  team,  and 
with  their  families  woi'ked  manfnlly.  I  recollect 
there  w^as  a  neighbourhood  some  two  or  three  miles 
from  this  place,  where  there  were  some  families  of 
anti-mission  Baptists  and  some  Methodists.  Theso 
good  missionary  Baptists  were  very  anxious  to  lead 
them  into  the  light,  and  teach  them  the  way  more  per- 
fectly. So  they  started  a  Sunday-school  there,  and 
got  them  all  to  coming  nicely,  and  were  perfectly 
delighted  that  the  "hard-sides,''  as  they  were  colled, 
had  started  to  Sunday-school.  They  procured  some 
Siuiday-school  literature,  prepared  by  A.  C.  Dayton, 
sound  to  the  core,  in  which  there  were  some  questions 
and  answers  on  baptism.  These  brethren  knew  that 
these  would  be  objectionable  to  the  Methodists,  but 
would  suit  the  other  persuasion  exactly.  So  in  order 
to  suit  all,  and  make  smooth  sailing,  they  took  some 
hit-s  of  blank  paper  and  pasted  tlicMii  over  tlieir  objec- 
tionable (juestions,  so  that  the  ^rethodists  could  :^ot 
see  them,  and  then  they  wenild  all  pull  on  together. 
When  the  "hard-sides"  found  this  out,  they  pulled 
out,  an  el  said  they  would  ne)t  work  with  a  people  who 
would  conceal  the  truth.  So  in  trying  to  gain  tlu- 
one,  thev  lost  the  e)tber,  and  ouiilit  to  have  lost  iK^th. 


ELDER   E.   ^l.   JORDxiN. 


77 


Kow  these  bretJiren  were  honest  and  conscientious, 
and  tlieir  motive  was  pnre,  bnt  the  end  did  not  justify 
the  means.  It  is,  doubtless,  a  lamentable  fact,  that 
thousands  of  the  professed  people  of  God  to-day  are 
makini>'  a  strenuous  effort  to  conceal  and  pervei-t 
God's  truth.  God  saj- s :  ''And  he  that  hath  my  word, 
lot  him  speak  my  word  faithfully.''  (Jer.  23:28.) 
For  doing  this  very  tliinj?'  an  intelligent  woman,  and 
a  professed  Christian,  said  I  ought  to  be  tarred  and 
feathered,  and  lAinied  up,  and  (me  num  said  I  ought 
to  be  stuck  full  (^f  lightwood  splinters,  and  they  all 
set  ^ on  fire — which  they  might  do  l)efore'I  would 
swerve  a  hair's  breadth  from  what  I  conscientiously 
believe  tO'  1)0  the  teaching  of  my  AFaster. 

There  was  a  minister  in  the  Beulali  Association 
who  had  a  fine  orchard.  One  year  it  was  very  full, 
and  the  .temptation  was  so  great  that  he  had  his  fruit 
stilled.  When  the  Association  met  we  brought  him 
to  a  hearing ;  I  rememer  old  Brother  O.  got  up  to 
defend  him ;  he  said :  ''Yes,  Brother  G.  did  make  a 
little  for  medicine,  for  I  bought  fifteen  gallons  of  him 
myself."  I  got  up  and  said  that  this  brother  must 
have  a  large  family,  and  live  where  there  was  a 
great  deal  of  malaria,  and  where  it  required  an 
iiuusual  (pumtity  of  medicine. 

T  remember  at  a  meeting  (1  think  it  was  in  Kock- 
ingiiam  or  Guilford),  there  was  a  boy  whom  Brother 
F.  FT.  Jones  had  recently  baptized,  dressed  in  his 
liome-pun.  winch  his  dear  old  mother  made  for  him. 


78 


LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 


and  it  was  whispered  around  that  he  thought  he  was 
called  to  preach.  I  looked  at  him,  and  thought  to 
myself,  ''Well ;  you  are  the  poorest  excuse  for  a 
preacher  I  have  seen."  But  his  church  licensed  him 
to  preaeh  and  sent  him  to  a  good  school  a  session  oi' 
two,  and  then  sent  him  to  Wake  Forest  College, 
where,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  he  graduated  with  first 
distinction.  That  boy  is  Henry  A.  Brown,  Avho  has 
been  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Winston 
for  twenty  odd  years.  So  there  is  no  tell  ins:  what  an 
education,  sanctified  by  the  Christian  religion,  will 
accomplish.  x\nd  "God  hath  chosen  the  weak  things 
of  the  world  to  confound  the  things  which  are 
mighty."  (I  Cor.  1:27). 

It  would  require  a  volume  to  tell  all  the  interesting 
things  which  transpired  during  the  twenty  years  that 
I  lived  in  the  Beulah  Association.  Brother  F.  H. 
Jones  and  I,  with  the  sainted  Dodson,  travelled  all 
over  every  nook  and  corner  of  it.  I  have  travelled, 
and  preached  more  with  Brother  Jones  than  any  other 
man.  I  always  loved  him,  and  love  him  to-day  as 
good  as  David  ever  loved  Johnathan.  He  baptized 
some  of  my  children,  and  I  baptized  his  precious  little 
daughter  at  Kerr's  Chapel,  in  her  ninth  year.  She  is 
now  the  wife  of  a  Baptist  preacher,  C.  S.  Jones.  He 
and  I  were  returning  from  a  preaching  tour  in  the 
counties  of  Stokes  and  Forsyth,  and  stopped  in  Win- 
ston for  dinner.  Brother  Alfred  Holland,  who  had 
moved  there  from  Johnson  Countv,  and  who  was  a 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  79 

decided  Baptist,  came  over  to  see  us,  and  to  see  if  he 
could  get  either  of  us  to  go  there  and  preach.  It  was 
a  long  distance  from  home,  seventy  miles,  but  I  felt 
deeplv  impressed  to  go  there  and  preach.  About  this 
time  I  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church  in 
Thomasville,  which  I  accepted,  and  was  pastor  there 
for  three  years,  going  once  a  month  from  Hillsboro. 
I  think  this  Avas  about  1871.  There  was  no  railroad 
to  Winston  then,  but  a  regular  stage  line  from  High 
Point  to  Salem.  So  T  arranged  that  when  I  Avent  to 
Thomasville  T  Avould  go  across  the  country  to  Win- 
ston, a  distance  of  fifteen  miles,  and  preach  tAvo 
nights  in  the  Aveek.  Sometimes  I  Avould  get  a  con- 
veyance part  of  the  Avay,  and  then  take  it  on  foot,  and 
get  along  the  best  Avay  T  could  to  save  expenses.  So 
I  sent  on  an  appointment  to  preach  in  the  court-house 
in  Winston  June  3,  1871,  and  the  first  trip  I  made 
on  the  stage.  When  I  got  off  at  Butner's  Hotel,  and 
started  up  the  main  street  through  Salem,  those  old 
Moravians  eyed  me  as  though  a  bear  liad  come  into 
town,  and  as  good  as  to  say,  ''I  AA^onder  Avhat  you 
expect  to  accomplish  here  ?"  But  I  preached,  and 
this  Avas  a  small  beginning-  of  a  great  Avork  in  Winston. 
At  rhis  time  there  Avere  about  three  thousand 
inliabitants  in  Salem  and  Winston,  put  together,  and 
only  five  Baptists  in  both  places.  It  looked  like  a 
great  undertaking  to  build  up  a  Baptist  church  here, 
but  I,  Avith  a  feAv  others,  felt  that  it  could  and  ought 
to  be  done.      At  first  T  had  tAvo  homes — Alfred  IIol- 


s;o 


I. IFF,   AXD  LAUORS    OF 


land's,  in  Winston,  and  old  Brother  Aquilla  Jones', 
in  Salem.  From  these  I  would  circle  around  to  see 
the  people.  We  continued  this  arrangement  for  a 
while,  preaching  tAvo  nights  in  the  week,  A\^th  good 
congregations ;  and  it  appears  to  me  now,  that  if  the 
Holy  Spirit  ever  helped  me  to  preach  in  this  world  it 
was  in  that  old  conrt-house.  In  order  to  build  up 
more  efiiciently,  it  was  thought  best  to  organize  a 
church,  so  that  we  could  receive  and  baptize  mem- 
l>ers.  Accordingly,  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Winston  was  organized,  September  22,  1871,  by 
Elders  F.  ]M.  Jordan  and  Robert  Gorniley,  consist- 
ing of  five  members.  Around  this  little  nucleus  we 
l^egan  to  build.  Soon  after  this  I  baptized  old  Bro. 
Aquilla  TI.  Jones,  whose  wife  was  one  of  the  con- 
stituent mem])ers  and  who  was  a  pillar  in  the  church ; 
also  bapitzed  his  daughter,  Miss  Carrie,  who  has  been 
a  shining  light  in  that  church  to  this  day.  This  lit- 
tle church  organized  a  Sundav-school  in  the  common 
school-house  in  Salem,  and  had  a  good  Sunday-school ; 
and  then  we  held  a  protracted  meeting  in  the  court- 
house, at  the  close  of  which  I  baptized  ten  in  Belo's 
pond  one  beautiful  Sunday  evening,  in  the  presence 
of  fit  was  believed)  2,000  people.  And  time  and 
again  we  repaired  to  this  place  to  baptize  believers. 
We  held  all  our  services  in  the  court-house  for  more 
han  four  years.  Flere  we  had  our  comnnmion  ser- 
vice at  night,  the  members  sitting  in  the  jury  box. 


ELDEE  F.  M.   JORDAIS'.  81 

with  bright  lights  beaming  down  from  the  chande- 
liers.    It  was  a  solemn  and  impressive  scene. 

The  next  thing  was  to  secure  a  lot  and  build  a 
house.  We  found  it  very  difficult  to  get  anything 
like  a  suitable  location.  Time  and  again  Brother 
Holland  and  1  walked  all  over  the  place,  trying  to 
select  a  lot.  One  day  we  met  up  with  a  goiod  ^|B  ^.  ., 
Moravian  who  told  us  he  would  let  us  have  a  lot,  'a^9f&'\''-: 
where  we  wanted  it  at  that  time.  I  bought  the.lotjr 
100  by  200,  on  Second  street,  June  18,  1874,,,}fbr 
which  I  promised  iiim  $250.  Of  this  he  gave  t'eti,. 
We  did  not  have  the  money  to  pay  for  it,  and  did 
not  know  where  it  was  to  come  from.  I  went  to 
Raleigh  and  presented  our  case  to  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  of  which  the  beloved  Dr.  Pritchard  was  pas- 
tor. He  gave  me  a  list  of  his  principal  members; 
Monday  I  went  round  to  see  them,  and  raised  $153 ; 
the  next  day  I  made  it  out  $200 ;  went  back  to  Win- 
ston, paid  for  the  lot  and  took  the  deed.  I  walked 
over  the  streets  of  Raleigh  until  my  feet  were  well 
nigh  blistered,  but  I  got  the  money,  and  I  never  saw 
money  given  more  cheerfully. 

The  other  denominations  were  remarkably  gener- 
ous and  kind  to  me  and  to  the  work  in  which  we  were 
engaged  all  the  time  I  labored  in  Winston.  And 
yet  I  was  wounded  in  the  house  of  my  friends.  Bro. 
William  Turner,  a  good  brother  and  Baptist  preacher, 
who  lived  there,  opposed  the  effort  of  trying  to  build 

6 


82  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

up  a  Baptist  church  in  Winston ;  said  that  he  had 
made  an  effort  and  failed,  that  he  knew  the  people, 
and  that  it  was  a  useless  undertaking.  I  told  him  I 
did  not  think  so,  but  that  with  the  blessing  of  God 
there  could,  and  ought  to  be,  a  Baptist  church  in 
Winston.  Brother  Turner  had  baptized  and  mar- 
ried scores  and  hundreds  of  people  all  over  that  coun- 
try, and  was  a  man  of  great  influence;  so  that  it  was 
exceedingly  important  to  have  his  co-operation  and 
influence.  I  went  to  his  house  and  begged  him,  that 
if  he  wjould  not  help  us,  just  to  be  neutral,  and  not 
work  against  us.  His  reply  was :  '^I  intend  to  oppose 
ir  to  the  bitter  end."  And  this  he  did  vigorously 
unto  the  day  of  his  death,  which  was  very  discourag- 
ing to  me,  and  a  great  hindrance  to  the  work.  He 
never  came  to  any  of  our  meetings,  nor  gave  us  any 
countenance  in  any  way  whatever.  He  would  not 
assist  in  the  organization  of  the  church,  and  some 
time  after  the  church  had  been  organized  he  said  it 
was  composed  of  factory  hands  and  kitchen  women, 
and  ought  to  be  disbanded,  and  that  it  would  never 
succeed  without  a  new  organization.  And  in  addi- 
tion to  all  this,  and  while  we  needed  all  the  help  and 
encouragement  we  could  possibly  get,  a  Baptist  fam- 
ily or  two  moved  there,  and  they  would  not  unite  with 
the  little  struggling  church,  waiting  to  see  whether 
it  would  be  a  success  or  failure.  And  when  the  bat- 
tle was  fought,  and  they  saw  it  was  bound  to  be  a 
success,  in  spite  of  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  83 

then  they  came  in,  threw  np  their  hats,  and  said, 
^^Just  see  what  we've  done!"  All  this  time  the  mis- 
sion board  do^vn  at  Raleigh,  who  were  helping  to 
build  up  at  this  important  place,  could  hear  of  the 
terrible  opposition,  and  came  to  the  conclusion,  I 
think,  that  Brother  Jordan  and  Brother  Turner  were 
at  dagger^s  points,  and  that  the  work  could  not  pros- 
per with  Brother  T.'s  opposition,  and  that  if  Brother 
Jordan  was  out  of  the  way,  and  a  new  man  in  his 
place,  Brother  Turner  w^ould  fall  in  and  matters 
would  move  on  smoothly.  All  this  time  I  had  no 
ill-will  oward  any  one,  and  only  asked  to  be  let  alone. 
But  it  required  a  great  deal  of  faith,  moral  courage, 
grit  and  gizzard,  to  hold  on  and  persevere  under  all 
these  circumstances,  for  there  was  no  money  in  it. 
The  board  gave  me  $100  per  year,  the  distance  was 
seventy  miles,  each  trip  required  five  days,  and  some- 
times more,  and  by  the  time  I  paid  my  railroad  and 
stage  fare  there  was  very  little  left.  The  truth  of 
the  matter  can  be  summed  up  in  few  words :  tbe  Holy 
Spirit  was  leading,  and  God  was  on  our  side. 

After  the  arduous  and  responsible  labors  of  four 
years,  through  heat  and  cold,  and  rain  and  snow, 
opposition  and  discouragement,  I  tendered  my  resig- 
nation to  this  dear  (then  little)  church  on  February 
2,  18Y4.  And  so  far  as  I  know  tbeir  was  not  a  jar, 
or  discord,  or  unpleasant  feeling  between  us.  To 
separate  from,  and  bid  this  little  church  farewell  was 
one  of  the  most  painful  events  connected  with  my 


84:  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

labors  during  a  period  of  forty-seven  years.  Bro. 
W.  R.  Grwaltney  was  my  successor,  and  then  Bro. 
H.  A.  BroAvn  was  his  successor.  But  Brother  Turner 
never  co-operated  with  either  of  these  good  brethren 
any  more  than  he  did  with  me. 

Here  I  feel  impressed  to  make  special  mention  of 
some  of  the  brethren,  sisters  and  friends  who  did  an 
extra  part  in  this  great  work  in  Winston-Salem  in 
its  infancy.  Alfred  Holland  was  a  plain,  imassum- 
ing  man,  and  he  may  now  be  well  nigh  forgotten, 
or  he  may  not  be  known  by  many  of  the  members  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Winston,  but  eternity 
alone  will  disclose  the  measure  of  his  part  of  the  work 
in  building  up  that  wonderful  interest  in  the  Mas- 
ter's kingdom  in  the  city  of  Winston.  He  was  the 
prime  mover  of  the  whole  thing,  and  I  have  never 
seen  any  man  who  manifested  a  more  profound  and 
absorbing  interest.  And  his  wife  was  a  good  help- 
meet all  the  time  I  was  there.  Their  house  was  my 
home  and  they  paid  me  $25  per  year  while  I 
preached  there.  He  died  suddenly  in  the  midst  of 
his  usefulness. 

Old  Bro.  Aquilla  H.  Jones  was  one  of  the  pillars 
of  the  church  and  as  solid  as  the  everlasting  hills.  I 
baptized  him.  His  wife  was  one  of  the  salt  of  the 
earth,  always  cheerful,  hopeful  and  full  of  the  spirit. 
And  there  was  old  Brother  and  Sistei*  Cannady,  both 
of  whom  I  baptized,  and  whose  souls  were  absorbed 
in   the  building  up   of   that   great  interest.     IS^ever 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  85 

shall  I  forget  the  meetings,  and  consultations  I  have 
had  with  brethren  Holland,  Jones  and  Cannady. 

Col.  Joe  Mastin,  a  noble  man  and  fine  lawyer,  was 
a  great  friend  to  me  and  the  interest  there,  though 
not  a  member  of  the  church.  I  shared  with  him  the 
comforts  of  his  delightful  home,  and  he  would  see 
tliat  the  court-house'  was  in  order,  and  w^ell  lighted, 
and  always  attended  the  service  w^hen  his  official 
duties  did  not  keep  him  away.  He  died  while  I  was 
there,  and  I  preached  his  funeral. 

THE   FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH  OF  WINSTON. 

The  following  historical  sketch  is  by  Dr.  C.  J. 
Watkins,  and  appears  in  the  new  Manual,  just 
issued : 

In  1870  there  w^ere  but  four  Baptists  in  Winston- 
Salem.  This  church  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  F. 
M.  Jordan  and  Robert  Gurley,  September  22,  1871, 
who  preached  the  first  sermon  in  the  court-house,  Fri- 
day before  the  third  Sunday  in  June,  1871. 

This  was  a  mission  station,  and  was  supported 
mainly  by  the  state  board  for  a  number  of  years ;  in 
fact  it  was  not  self-sustaining  until  Rev.  H.  A. 
Bro^\Ti  became  its  pastoT.  The  Rev.  F.  M.  Jordan 
resigned  Febrary  20,  1874,  and  the  Rev.  W.  R. 
Gwaltney  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  church  on 
Wednesday  night  after  the  third  Sunday  in  April, 
1875.  A  building  committee  was  immediately 
appointed  to  raise  funds  and  build  a  house.     Rev.  F. 


86  LIFE  AI^D  LABORS   OF 

M.  Jordan  had  bought  the  lot,  100  x  200,  on  Second 
street,  June  18,  1874,  for  which  he  paid  $250.  The 
lot  had  been  paid  for,  and  there  remained  $20,  which 
was  given  over  into  the  hands  of  our  committee. 
Here  the  struggle  to  build  a  house  commei^ced.  The 
membership  was  small  and  poor,  and  most  of  them 
women.  These  were  dark  days  indeed  for  the  Bap- 
tists. 

Amid  all  our  troubles  we  had  the  sympathy  of 
other  denominations.  How  different  from  our  fore- 
fathers a  hundred  years  ago.  God  was  on  our  side. 
One  sister  gave  us  five  hundred  bushels  of  lime,  with 
which  the  church  was  built  and  plastered.  A 
brother,  who  has  long  gone  to  his  eternal  home,besides 
a  liberal  contribution,  went  around  among  his  friends 
and  secured  not  less  than  seventy-five  days'  hauling 
of  lumber,  brick,  etc.  Eev.  W.  E.  Gwaltney 
preached  for  us  one  day  in  the  week,  each  month,  as 
we  were  not  able  to  secure  him  on  the  Sabbath.  We 
held  services  for  a  while  in  the  court-house,  and  then 
in  the  little  free  school-house  near  the  Salem  line. 
During  all  this  time  the  Methodists  offered  us  the 
use  of  their  church  on  a  number  of  occasions,  as  also 
did  the  Presbyterians  on  one  or  two  occasions,  while 
the  Baptists  in  different  parts  of  ^orth  Carolina 
came  up  liberally  to  our  assistance  with  their  contri- 
butions. Too  much  can  not  be  said  of  the  kindness 
of  the  Moravians,  Methodists,  Presbyterians  and 
Episcopalians,  as    well    as    our    Primitive    Baptist 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  87 

brethren  and  many  friends  in  the  Twin-City,  who 
also  made  contributions  to  the  work. 

And  the  time-honored  Salem  Female  Academy  was 
not  the  last  to  hand  ns  in  a  handsome  contribution. 

On  Saturday  before  the  second  Sunday  in  Septem- 
ber, 1877,  Eev.  W.  E.  Gwaltney  resigned.  We  had 
just  gotten  our  church  in  a  condition  for  worship, 
with  a  debt  of  $500  on  the  church  property.  In  this 
trying  time  our  church  called  a  meeting  of  its  mei^ 
bers,  and  we  laid  the  matter  before  God ;  and  w^ 
believe  it  was  in  answer  to  our  prayers  that  Bro.jH.  A 
Brown  became  our  pastor. 

On  the  second  Sunday  in  December,  1877,  Brother 
Brown  preached  his  first  sermon  in  this  house;  and 
during  the  now  well-nigh  fifteen  years  that  he  has 
labored  so  earnestly  and  conscientiously  with  us,  our 
church  has  prospered  much  and  the  Lord  has  wonder- 
fully blessed  us. 

Besides  paying  the  debt  of  $500,we  have  expended 
on  the  improvement  of  this  church  building  not  less 
than  $3,000.  In  addition,  we  erected  in  1886,  a 
house  of  worship  on  Broad  street,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$3,000.  In  1889  a  number  of  the  members  of  this 
church  were  dismissed  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
the  Broad  Street  Church. 

Our  church  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  Leg- 
lature  passed  January  31,  1877.  In  consequence  of 
another  Baptist  church  here,  that  is,  the  Broad  Street 
Church,  it  became  necessary  to  change  our  name ;  and 


88  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

at  the  regular  conference  held  October  3,  1892,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  take  such  steps  as  were 
necessary  to  effect  a  change  of  name  from  "The  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Winston,  ^.  C,"  to  "The  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Winston,  :N'.  C." 

Our  membership  now  numbers  over  four  hundred, 
and  has  l:>ecome  quite  too  large  for  our  present  build- 
ing. Realizing  this  fact,  and  recognizing  the 
changed  surroundings  of  our  present  location,  caused 
by  the  growth  of  our  city  in  other  directions,  our 
church  decided  to  move  to  another  and  more  central 
locality.  In  accordance,  therefore,  with  the  action 
taken  at  the  regular  conference,  held  ^N'ovember  7, 
1892,  the  church  bought  the  lot  at  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  Cherry  and  Third  streets,  and  69  feet  on  Third 
street,  more  or  less.  For  this  lot  we  paid  $6,000, 
the  gentleman  from  whom  it  was  bought  himself  con- 
tributing $500  toward  the  purchase  money.  We 
trust  that  we  shall  very  shortlj^  commence  the  build- 
ing of  a  larger  edifice,  one  more  commodious  and 
better  adapted  to  our  gTOwing  needs. 

The  following  letter  is  from  Dr.  H.  A.  Brown, 
pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Winston : 

WiNSTOX,  K  C,  Feb.  3,  1898. 

Dear  Brother  Jordan: — The  following  are  the 
names  of  the  persons  who  entered  into  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  this  place :  Alfred 
Holland,  Mrs.  I^annie  E.  Holland,  Miss  Nannie 
Marshall,  Mrs.  Permelia  Jones,  Miss  Sarah  F.  Tverr. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JOEDAN.  89 

We  have  now  about  five  hundred  and  fifty  names 
on  our  roll,  and  the  Broad  Street  Church  has  about 
one  hundred  and  forty  or  one  hundred  and  fifty. 
We  have  four  Baptist  Sunday-schools.  Our  church 
has  a  large  school  and  two  mission  schools.  We 
have  also  built  a  mission  house  in  West  Winston, 
costing  about  $2,000.  We  are  about  beginning  a 
large,  commodious  house  of  worship.  It  will  be, 
when  done,  one  of  the  best  houses  for  work  and 
worship  in  the  South.  There  were  about  seventy- 
five  members  when  you  resigned.'' 


CHAPTER   VI. 


As  Evangelist — Durham— W.  T.  Blackwell — John  W.  Cheek — 
Great  Meeting — Convention — Julian  S.  Carr — A  Prolific 
Sow — Doing  the  Work  of  an  Evangelist — Winston — 
Catawba  Station — Greenville. 


AS   EVANGELIST. 

For  several  years  I  had  a  strong,  growing  desire  to 
gc  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges  and  enlarge  my 
field  of  usefulness.  The  work  of  an  evangelist  was 
impressed  more  and  more  upon  my  heart,  as  the  Lord 
seemed  to  bless  my  labors  in  special  and  protracted 
meetings.  It  is  said  that  the  mind  of  the  Lord  is 
with  his  people;  and  the  spirit  seemed  to  be  moving 
the  hearts  of  my  brethren  at  the  same  time.  The 
sainted  Dr.  Pritchard,  Col.  J.  M.  Heck,  Judge  Kerr 
and  a  number  of  others,  told  me  that  they  thought  I 
ought  to  give  up  the  pastorate  of  my  churches,  and 
go  into  the  work  of  an  evangelist.  If  I  am  not  mis- 
taken, the  convention  met  in  Durham  in  1874,  and 
Judge  John  Kerr  was  President;  at  least  it  was  in 
187-i  that  I  decided  to  give  up  the  pastorate,  and  go 
out  as  an  evangelist.  I  had  been  pastor  of  from 
three  to  four  churches  for  twenty  years,  was  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Durham  at  that  time,  and  had  been 
for  four  years,  preaching  twice  a  month. 

Before  the  town  of  Durham  was  built,  and  before 


92  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

the  railroad  was  made,  the  old  Baptist  meeting-house 
stood  where  Bro.  Adolphiis  Marcum  now  lives,  and  if 
I  remember  correctly,  is  the  same  house,  converted 
into  a  dwelling,  but  when  the  railroad  was  built,  it 
was  so  near  the  road  that  the  church  thought  best  to 
move  out  to  a  new  location.  So  they  built  a  right 
good  house  for  that  day  and  time,  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  town,  near  where  Bro.  John  L.  Marcum 
now  lives.  The  first  time  I  passed  along  where  Dur- 
ham now  stands  there  was  no  Durham.  Pratt's 
store  was  the  only  one  there,  and  Dr.  Durham  was 
about  the  only  man  living  there,  the  man  for  whom 
the  town  was  named.  The  place  was  then  called 
Pinhook,  and  the  people  would  meet  there  of  Satur- 
day evenings  and  have  shooting-matches — shoot  for 
beef,  turkeys,  chickens,  drink  whiskey,  and  have  a 
big  time  generally.  It  is  hard  to  realize  the  wonder- 
ful change  which  has  taken  place  at  the  now  city  of 
Durham.  i 

I  remember  while  they  were  building  the  !N^orth 
Carolina  railroad,  and  the  first  time  the  cars  ran  to 
Durham,  I  was  there,  and  a  great  many  people  were 
there.  It  was  the  first  time  that  hundreds  of  people 
ever  saw  a  railroad  or  a  steam  engine  and  cars.  There 
was  great  curiosity  and  excitement.  One  old  lady 
seemed  to  think  there  was  great  danger  in  almost 
every  direction.  There  was  a  passenger  coach  stand- 
ing on  the  track,  with  no  engine  anywhere  near  it. 
Some  of  her  friends  tried  to  get  her  to  go  through  the 


ELDER.    F    M.    JORDAN.  93 

coach,  and  look  at  it.  She  said,  "My  God,  I  am  not 
going  to  ride  in  such  a  wagon  as  this.''  Just  think 
of  the  wonderful  change  from  that  day  to  this.  The 
old  Kose  of  Sharon  Church  then,  is  tJie  First  Baptist 
Church  now;  and  then  there  is  the  Second  Baptist 
Church,  and  East  Durham  Baptist  Church,  and  West 
Durham  Baptist  Church,  with  a  city  of  14,500 
inhabitants,  all  gTO^^m  out  of  the  Pinhook  of  1850. 

John  W.  Cheek  was  one  of  the  first  principal  mer- 
chants of  Durham. 

I  think  it  can  be  truly  said,  that  W.  T.  Blackwell 
is  the  founder  of  the  city  of  Durham.  I  was  there 
when  he  began  the  tobacco  business,  and  saw  its  work- 
ings and  progress  for  a  numbers  of  years.  Some  of 
my  best  friends  on  earth  have  lived,  and  now  live,  at 
Durham.  During  the  four  years  that  I  was  pastor 
here  Bro.  John  W.  Cheek's  was  one  of  my  principal 
homes,  and  the  T_.ord  only  knows  the  pleasure  I  have 
enjoyed  in  his  hospitable  home,  around  his  fireside 
and  family  altar.  I  conducted  the  funeral  service 
when  his  little  boy  died,  and  also  when  he  died.  I 
shall  never  forget  how  much  his  little  son  Edgar 
enjoyed  reading  Aesops  Fables,  and  have  often 
thought  of  how  much  he  w^ould  have  enjoyed  reading 
Uncle  Bemus.  Sister  Cheek,  7iee  Marcum,  is  still 
living  at  the  old  homestead,  and  I  suppose  all  Dur- 
ham will  join  me  in  saying  that  she  is  one  of,  if  not 
the  best  woman  in  Durham. 

I  baj)tized  her  one  beautiful  Sunday  morning,  just 


94  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

out  south  of  to^\^l,  with,  a  goodly  number  of  others. 
The  baptism  was  a  beautiful,  happy  and  impressive 
scene,  and  then  it  was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  the 
large  crowd  of  people,  as  they  marched  from  the 
water  to  the  house  of  God.  AVe  had  some  grand  and 
glorious  meetings  in  Durham.  I  remember  one 
especially,  when  all  the  factories,  business  houses  and 
saloons  closed  an  hour  and  a  half  each  day  to  give 
everybody  an  opportunity  to  go  to  chui'ch. 

W.  T.  Blackwell  at  that  time  was  working  about 
one  hundred  and  fiftv  hands,  and  he  was  the  first 
man  to  dismiss  his  employees,  and  told  them  if  they 
did  not  go  to  church  it  would  not  be  his  fault.  The 
people  would  come  to  market,  and  find  everthing 
closed  up ;  they  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  it ; 
they  were  told  that  a  glorious  meeting  was  going  on 
at  the  Baptist  church,  and  the  people  were  gone  to 
the  meeting,  but  would  return  in  due  time.  I  believe 
that  Elder  J.  B.  Richardson  was  with  me  in  this 
meeting;  there  were  about  fifty  professions  of  reli- 
gion. 

But  more  of  my  Durham  friends:  In  1868,  the 
State  Convention  met  in  Hillsboro,  and  W.  T.  Black- 
well  sent  me  twenty-five  dollars  in  money  to  repair 
my  house  and  prepare  for  the  meeting.  After  I 
moved  to  the  mountains,  W.  T.  Blackwell  and  Julian 
S.  Carr,  a  good  Methodist  brother,  sent  me  a  check 
for  $300 ;  said  they  were  able,  and  that  it  was  a 
pleasure  to  them  to  do  me  this  favor.     They  were 


ELDER    F.    M.    JORDAN.  95 

then  associated  together  in  business.  I  suppose  that 
there  are  a  great  many  people  now  who  would  be 
slow  to  believe  that  a  Methodist  would  give  me  $150 
in  money  at  one  ime,  but  some  of  the  best  friends  I 
have  on  earth  are  Methodists,  but  not  much  wonder, 
for  it  is  said  that  I  have  baptized  more  of  them  than 
any  man  in  the  State.  I  have  a  registered  sow  now, 
which  mv  friend  and  brother,  Carr,  sent  me  from 
his  fine  stock  fanii  at  Hillsboro.  She  has  brought 
me  twenty-eight  pigs,  lost  twelve  of  them,  and  I  have 
sold  the  others  for  forty  dollars.  So,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, I  think  that  I  am  entitled  to  pardon  for 
lingering  so  long  in  and  around  Durham.  The  ven- 
erable and  beloved  Elder  Jesse  Howell  was  pastor  of 
the  Rose  of  Sharon  Church  for  many  years.  I  was 
his  successor,  and  the  beloved  Dr.  C.  Durham  was  my 
successor.  Elder  G.  P.  Bostick,  now  missionary  in 
China,  succeeded  Durham.  J.  L.  White  succeeded 
Bostick,  and  Elder  W.  C.  Tyree,  the  present  incum- 
bnt,  succeeded  White.     What  hath  God  wrought  ? 

EVANGELISTIC   WORK. 

The  closing  up  of  1874  winds  up  my  labors  as  pas- 
tor, and  I  make  my  arrangements  to  begin  the  work 
of  an  evangelist,  endorsed  by  the  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention of  ^orth  Carolina. 

Up  to  this  time  I  have  written  entirely  from  mem- 
ory, as  I  made  the  great  mistake  of  not  keeping  a 


^6  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

diary.     I  shall  now  follow  my  diary  for  the  next  fif- 
teen years. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1875,  I  went  to  Winston 
and  preached  in  the  court-house  on  the  following  Sun- 
day.    At  the  evening  service  about  a  dozen  people 
subscribed  $260  toward  the  building  of  a  new  house.     ^ 
On  the  6th  1  went  to  Thomasville,  by  way  of  Grem^-^i    , 
boro,  and,  after  a  pleasant  visit  to  Profess^iwltei^- 
hart's  school,  went  to  Statesville  and  preached  iif^e 
court-house  on  the  evening  of  the  8th.     From  States- 
ville I  went  to  Catawba  Station  and  preached  for  a 
week  in  Providence  Church  in  the  morning,  and  in 
the  Academy  at  the  Station  at  night.     At  the  close 
of  the  meeting  1  baptized  Ida  Banner,  Jane  Baker, 
Mollie  Baker  and  James  M.  Wilkie  in  the  Catawba 
River,  just  above  the  railroad  bridge.     On  the  21st 
I  arrived  in  Goldsboro  on  my  way  to  Greenville, 
preached  in  the  Baptist  church  in  the  evening,  and 
spent  the  night  with  Elder  C.  J.  Nelson.     Early  the 
next  morning  Brother  Kelson    and    I    started    for 
Greenville  in  his  buggy,  behind  Billy,  a  fine  pony. 
We  dined  at  noon  with  Sister  Carr  in  Greone  County, 
and  reached  Greenville  at  7  o'clock,  having  driven 
fifty-five  miles  that  day.     The  meeting  continued  till 
February  8th,  with  two  sermons  a  day  and  many 
prayer  meetings  in  private  houses.     Brother  I^elson 
remained  with  me  through  the  meeting.     One  day  I 
received  the  sad  news  from  my  son  Willie  at  Wake 
Forest  College  that  he  was  sick  with  meningitis.   The 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  97 

next  day  was  spent  in  fasting  and  prayer ;  prayed  with 
a  good  woman  who  had  lost  two  husbands,  and  had 
seen  great  trouble  with  her  sons,  on  account  of  drunk- 
enness. One  son  in  the  asylum.  She  said  but  for 
the  gi'ace  of  God  she  would  long  ago  have  been  either 
in  her  gi'ave  or  in  the  asylum.  Visited  and  prayed 
with  another  sister  whose  daughter  had  been  sent  to 
a  convent  entirely  against  her  will.  Poor  woman 
was  almost  broken-hearted.  What  a  blessed  thing  is 
the  ministry  of  consolation!  Met  Miss  Melissa 
Jones,  who  was  led  to  Christ  through  my  preaching 
while  attending  school  at  Salem.  The  seed  lodged 
in  her  heart  to  bear  fruit  many  miles  away.  ^^Cast 
^  thy  bread  upon  the  waters — thou  shalt  find  it  aft^r 
many  days."  On  Sunday,  the  last  day  of  the  meet- 
ing I  preached  from  I  Sam.  15  :22,  on  the  importance 
of  implicit  obedience  to  all  the  commands  of  God. 
At  3  o'clock  a  large  crowd  assembled  on  the  banks  of 
the  Tar  River,  within  the  city  limits  of  the  town,  to 
witness  the  administration  of  baptism.  After  sing- 
ing ^Mesus,  I  My  Cross  Have  Taken,"  and  a  brief 
prayer,  it  Avas  my  privilege  to  lead  down  into  the 
water  and  to  bury  in  the  likeness  of  His  burial  and 
resurrection.  Misses  Lucy  Cobb  and  Mary  and  Jen- 
nie Paul.  The  snow  was  falling  beautifully.  Miss 
Cobb  had  driven  eleven  miles  through  the  biting  cold 
to  follow  the  Savior  in  baptism.  At  the  evening 
service  we  raised  $500  to  secure  a  pastor,  and  the 


98  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

nieeting  closed.  The  cause  of  triitli  and  righteous- 
ness has  l>een  gi*0"\ving  and  strengthening  in  Green- 
ville ever  since  that  meeting.  I  was  in  the  room 
where  tlie  Baptist  State  Convention  was  organized  in 
1830,  the  same  year  in  which  I  was  bom.  When 
Brother  Nelson  and  I  were  there  the  church  was 
small  and  without  a  pastor. 

For  many  years  they  have  been  worshiping  in  the 
fine  memorial  church, with  a  settled  pastor  and  grow- 
ing congregations.  I  want  to  say  here  that  during 
my  labors  as  an  evangelist,  I  have,  as  a  rule,  gone  to 
the  weak  and  waste  places  for  the  purpose  of  strength- 
ening and  building  up  the  cause  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  will  be  seen  as  we  proceed. 

On  returning  to  Goldsboro  we  spent  a  night  with 
Dr.  Exum  in  Wayne  County.  He  told  us  that  he 
practiced  in  two  hundred  and  sixty-nine  families,  and 
that  within  a  circle  of  -iive  miles,  taking  his  home  as 
a  center,  there  were  only  eighteen  church  members. 
On  my  way  home  I  visited  my  oldest  daughter,  Mrs. 
I<ee,  in  Raleigh,  my  son  at  Wake  Forest  and  Mrs. 
Seawell,  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Eli  Phillips,  who  bap- 
tized me.  I  reached  home  on  the  14th.  On  the  16th 
Willie  came  home  from  college,  quite  feeble,  to  rest 
a  few  weeks.  On  the  18th  I  started  for  Winston  to 
fill  my  last  appointment  as  pastor.  On  Sunday,  the 
21st,  I  tendered  my  resignation  and  preached  my 
farewell  sermon  in  the  old  court-house.  I  had  been 
with  the  church  from  its  infancy,  the  people  loved 


ELDEE  F.  M.   JORDAN.  9^ 

me,  and  I  loved  them.  The  parting  was  sad,  but  we 
parted  in  peace.     Thus  closed  my  last  pastorate. 

As  I  look  back  over  the  years  of  my  pastoral  life  it 
is  with  serene  satisfaction  that  I  recall  the  fact  that 
I  never  had  a  fuss  with  one  of  my  churches  and  never 
left  a  church  except  on  my  own  accord. 

On  February  26th  I  preached  the  funeral  of  John 
Redding,  a  deacon  of  Mars  Hill  Church,  and  one 
of  the  best  men  I  ever  knew. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


The  Great  Meeting  in  Raleigh— Break  Down— A  Sisters 
Dream— Building  a  Church — Sickness  at  Home— Jacob  S. 
Allen— The  Good  Doctor  Wilson— Kind  Neighbors. 


THE    GREAT    MEETING   IN    RAEIGH. 

I  give  particulars  of  tliis  meeting  as  a  fair  sample 
of  the  amount  of  work  done  in  all  my  meetings : 

^'^27. — Came  to  Raleigh  to  aid  Elder  J.  D.  Huf- 
ham  in  a  meeting  at  the  Second  Baptist  Church. 
This  church  had  just  been  organized  with  ten  mem- 
bers, who  went  out  from  the  Eirst  Church  of  Raleigh : 
Jacob  S.  Allen  and  wife,  :N'.  B.  Broughton,  J.  M. 
Broughton,  W.  T.  Womble,  Mrs.  Mary  Broughton, 
Mrs.  C.  R.  HoUeman,  Henry  Mitchell,  Miss  Carrie 
Wilson  (now  Mrs.  Jonas  Costner),  Miss  Mattie  Har- 
ton  (now  Mrs.  Baskerville). 

"28. — Sunday :  Attended  the  Sabbath-school  at  the 
Second  Church,  J.  S.  Allen,  Suprintendent — good 
school — eighty-four  present.  Preached  at  11  o'clock 
— house  nearly  full — good  attention.  Preached  at 
night  on  the  ''Worth  of  the  Soul;"  house  crowded; 
spent  the  night  with  Elder  J.  M.  White. 

"March  1. — Preached  at  night  on  the  'Pardoning 
Mercy  of  God,'  (Isa.  1:18).  Much  feeling — one 
young  lady  came  for\vard  for  prayer,  Miss  Jennie 
Smith,  and  an  elderly  lady  bowed  in  the  congTega- 


102 


LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 


tion.  The  church  seemed  to  be  earnestly  engaged  in 
prayer.  The  Lord  grant  a  great  season  of  grace. 
Spent  the  night  with  J.  S.  Allen. 

''2. — Visited  through  the  day,  and  preached  at 
night,  the  interest  increasing.  Spent  the  night  with 
'N.  S.  Harp. 

"3. — Visited  several  families  and  preached  at  night 
— good  meeting.     Spent  the  night  with  J.  H.  Mills. 

"4r. — Prayer-meeting  at  4  o'clock,  the  first  week- 
day prayer-meeting  ever  held  in  the  Second  Baptist 
Church ;  fifteen  persons  present.  Preached  at  night ; 
twelve  penitents;  one  happy  convert,  Mrs.  Bash- 
ford. 

'^5. — Visited  and  dined  with  A.  M.  Lewis.  Prayer 
meeting  at  4.  Preached  at  night — the  interest  deep- 
ening and  widening.  John  W.  Marcom  reclaimed 
from  his  backsliding.  Spent  the  night  with  C.  B. 
Edwards. 

"6. — Visited  the  Ealeigh  Female  Seminary,  and 
attended  the  prayer-meeting  at  4  p.  m.  Preached  at 
night,  several  new  penitents;  Bro.  Wm.  Womble's 
daughter  professed  faith  in  Christ;  glorious  meet- 
ing.    Spent  the  night  with  C.  E.  Lee. 

"7. — Sunday:  Kain  falling  in  torrents.  Sixty 
present  in  Sunday-school.  Preached  at  11 ;  com- 
munion season.  Preached  at  night  on  the  "Parable 
of  the  Prodigal  Son."  Miss  Beacham  expressed  a 
hope,  and  desired  to  be  baptized.  Spent  the  night 
with  Bro.  J.  H.  Mills.     Miss  Martha  Smith,  just 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  103 

across  the  street,  professed  faith  in  Christ  about  11 
o'clock  in  the  night,  and  sent  for  me;  I  went  over 
and  found  her  rejoicing  in  her  first  love. 

"8. — Attended  prajer-meeting  at  4,  and  preached 
at  night ;  twelve  persons  came  forward  for  prayer ; 
good  meeting.  Spent  the  night  with  Brother  Whit- 
son. 

'^9. — Visited  in  the  day  and  preached  at  night; 
five  interesting  young  people  made  a  bright  profes- 
sion of  faith  in  Christ.  This  truly  was  a  happy 
meeting. 

"10. — Visited,  and  dined  with  IST.  B.  Broughton; 
preached  at  night — three  converts.  My  wife  came 
this  morning;  so  glad  to  see  her.  Spent  the  night 
with  C.  E.  Lee. 

"11. — Visited  some  friends  concerned  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion.  Miss  Emma  Sauls  has  found  peace 
in  believing  in  Jesus.  Such  a  bright  face.  Preached 
at  night ;  sixteen  penitents. 

"12. — Visited,  and  preached  at  night — meeting 
increasing  in  interest.  Spent  the  night  with  J.  H. 
Mills. 

"14. — Sundav:  Met  with  the  Sabbath-school; 
one  hundred  and  fourteen  present ;  happy  time ;  sev- 
eral of  the  scholars  rejoicing  in  their  first  love.  Oh, 
such  bright  faces ;  others  seeking  salvation.  Preached 
at  night  from  Judges  7:20.  Delightful  meeting; 
eleven  united  with  the  church.  The  right  hand  of 
fellowship  extended  by  the  church ;  happy  day.  Judge 


lO-i  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

John  Kerr  and  C.  M.  Cooke  present,  and  enjoyed  the 
meeting  very  much.  At  night,  house  crowded  to 
ovei*ilowing :  preached  from  II.  Sam.  15:22;  thirty 
penitents  came  fonvard,  and  twenty  rose  up  in  the 
congregation ;  powerful  meeting.  Spent  the  night 
with  Orrin  Smith. 

''15. — Visited  through  the  day  and  preached  at 
night.  Six  persons  made  a  profession  of  religion. 
Spent  the  night  with  J.  H.  Mills. 

^'16. — Preached  at  night;  much  life  in  the  exer- 
cises; four  professions  of  religion;  thirty  penitents. 

About  this  stage  of  the  meeting  we  were  greatly 
pressed  for  room;  the  house  was  full,  the  yard  was 
full,  and  the  street  was  full.  The  house  was  com- 
paratively small,  and  many  were  anxious  to  come  in. 

Bro.  J.  S.  xVllen  was  a  contractor — a  great  builder. 
One  night  Brother  Iliifham's  wife's  sister  dreamed 
that  Brother  Allen  built  a  house  in  a  day,  and  t^ 
Holy  Spirit  carried  this  dream  to  Brother  Allen's 
heart.  He  said  he  did  not  think  that  he  could  build 
a  house  in  a  day,  but  he  believed  that  he  could  in  a 
week.  So  he  went  round  Monday  morning  and  saw 
some  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  First  Church, 
and  others  who  agreed  to  help  furnish  the  material, 
and  Brother  Allen  commenced  the  work.  He  began 
a  house  the  same  size  of  the  one  we  commenced  the 
meetmg  in,  with  an  addition  of  an  infant-class  room 
and  baptistry — for  it  is  understood  that  we  must  have 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  105 

a  place  to  baptized  believers,  and  when  we  preach  the 
gospel  we  expect  that  somebody  will  believe  it. 

Brother  Allen  wrote  to  Baltimore  for  chairs  to  seat 
the  new  building,  and  began  to  get  up  his  timbers 
and  frame  the  house.  I  think  there  were  about  a 
dozen  men  employed,  some  framing,  some  covering, 
some  laying  floor,  and  others  doing  everything  that 
was  to  be  done  about  it.  We  held  a  prayer-meeting 
there  every  evening  at  4  o'clock,  and  the  noise  of  the 
saws,  hammers,  nor  anything  else  seemed  to  disturb 
us  in  the  least.  The  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to  regulate 
the  whole  thing.  Don't  think  I  was  ever  in  a  more 
precious  prayer-meeting.  Saturday  evening  Brother 
Allen  had  the  house  done,  except  ceiling;  had  the 
chairs  brought  up  from  the  depot,  and  all  nicely 
arranged  for  service  Sunday  morning,  and  everything 
looked  as  neat  as  a  new  pin.  The  house  was  built 
in  the  form  of  a  T,  and  arranged  w^ith  great  con- 
venience. Simday  morning  the  Lord  filled  the 
house,  and  the  meeting  went  on,  with  the  interest 
deepening  and  widening. 

I  believe  the  Holy  Spirit  built  that  house  by  put- 
ting that  dream  into  that  sister's  head. 

''17. — Attended  the  funeral  of  old  Sister  Decar- 
terett,  at  First  Church,  mother-in-law  of  John  Arm- 
strong. Preached  at  night  to  a  crowded  house — 
more  than  thirty  penitents,  and  two  bright  profes- 
sions of  religion. 


106  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

^^18. — Preached  at  night — maiij  penitents — three 
converts. 

^^19. — Preached  at  night — five  happy  converts. 

"20. — Dined  with  Bro.  J.  M.  Heck,  with  Drs. 
Skinner,  Pritchard  and  Brother  Kedd.  Brother 
Redd  preached  at  night ;  fifty-one  converts  up  to  this 
time.     Spent  the  night  with  J.  H.  Mills. 

"21. — Snndav:     Attended  the   Sabbath-school   at 

1/ 

the  Second  Church — one  hundred  and  nineteen  pres- 
ent. Preached  at  11 ;  twenty  united  with  the 
church ;  such  a  glorious  meeting.  Preached  at  night 
— never  saw  a  house  so  crowded — some  thirty-five 
persons  came  forward  for  prayer — two  made  a  pro- 
fession of  faith  in  Christ.  This  was  truly  a  wonder- 
ful meeting. 

"22. — Tender  and  delightful  prayer-meeting. 
Preached  at  night — some  forty  persons  came  forward 
for  prayer.  Five  persons  made  a  profession  of  a 
saving  faith  in  Christ — interest  in  the  meeting  una- 
bated. 

"23. — Brethren  Pritchard,  Skinner,  Hufham  and 
I  dined  with  Mr.  G.  W.  Swepson.  I  was  so  worn 
and  exhausted,  that  when  the  other  brethren  came, 
I  was  sitting  by  the  fire  asleep,  and  when  dinner  was 
announced  I  got  up  to  start  to  the  table,  and  fell  back 
into  a  large  rocking-chair,  and  think  I  broke  two  or 
three  of  the  rollers.  There  was  a  dead  feeling  in  my 
left  leg  and  side,  which  I  thought  would  soon  wear 
off,  but  I  felt  it  sensibly  for  several  days.  Dr.  Poyster 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAIT.  107 

said  it  was  a  slight  stroke  of  paralysis,  caused  by 
my  nervous  system  being  so  severely  taxed.  Preached 
at  night — forty  penitents,  and  several  professions  of 
religion.  Spent  the  night  with  J.  H.  Mills.  I  have 
had  strong  symptoms  of  paralysis  at  times  ever  since 
then. 

"24. — Precious  prayer-meeting — house  nearly 
full.  Preached  at  night — great  feeling — fifty  peni- 
tents and  five  converts,  making  seventy-three  to  this 
time.  This  is  a  wonderful  work  of  grace — the  inter- 
est still  on  the  increase.  Much  interest  at  the  First 
Church  to-night — sixteen  penitents.  God  by  His 
spirit  seems  to  be  moving  the  whole  city. 

"25. — Preached  at  night — several  professions  of 
religion.  Spent  the  night  with  Mr.  J.  H.  Harris — 
much  tenderness  at  family  prayer — wife  and  daugh- 
ter concerned  upon  the  subject  of  religion — may  the 
whole  family  be  converted  to  God. 

"26. — Family  prayer  in  the  parlor  of  Brother 
Harris — much  tenderness — may  the  Lord  save  the 
whole  family.  Of  all  the  prayer-meetings,  we  cer- 
tainly had  the  best  at  the  Second  Church  this  even- 
ing. Preached  at  night — three  conversions.  Spent 
the  night  with  I^.  B.  Broughton. 

"27. — Saturday:  Sunrise  prayer-meeting  at  the 
First  Church — large  attnedance — much  earnestness 
smd  feeling  in  the  prayers  and  talks — several  peni- 
tents— many  requests  made  for  persons  to  be  prayed 
for — many  agree  to  fast  and  pray  for  God's  blessing 


108  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

to  rest  in  a  powerful  manner  upon  the  whole  citj  of 
Raleigh.  Preached  at  10  o'clock  at  the  asylum  to 
the  deaf  and  blind ;  interpret-ed  bv  young  Brother 
David  Dudley,  the  teacher — much  feeling — a  large 
number  came  foi-^vard,  and  gave  me  their  hand,  ask- 
ing to  be  remembered  in  prayer,  that  they  might  be 
Christians.  Oh,  what  an  affecting  scene.  At  the 
night  service  sixteen  joined  the  church. 

'^28. — Simday.  Attended  Sunday-school  at  the 
Second  Church — one  hundred  and  thirty-one  present, 
largest  number  ever  present  up  to  this  date — preached 
at  11  o'clock — three  joined  the  church,  making  fifty- 
eight  during  the  meeting  up  to  this  time.  At  3 
o'clock,  in  the  First  Church,  I  baptized  thirty-four 
happy  converts,  in  the  presence  of  the  most  crowded 
assembly  T  ever  beheld — impressive  scene — happy 
time.  At  night,  by  request,  repeated  my  sermon  on 
the  prodigal  son — crowded  house — meeting  of  the 
greatest  power  up  to  this  time — some  professions 
and  sixty  penitents. 

'^29. — Had  a  controversy  with  Rev.  N.  M.  Jur- 
ney,  the  Methodist  minister,  on  the  doctrine  of  apos- 
tacy  and  infant  baptism,  and  church  history. 
Preached  at  night.     Elder  J.  B.  Richardson  present 

"30. — Preached  at  night — meeting  of  the  greatest 
power  up  to  this  stage  of  the  meeting — about  every 
sinner  in  the  house  seemed  to  be  moved.  One  bright 
profession  of  faith    in    Clirist.     iSTow    upwards    of 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  109 

ninety  converts.      Spent  the  night  with  John  Arm- 
strong. 

'-31. — Learned  that  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Upchurch 
had  made  a  bright  profession  of  religion ;  saw  her  in 
the  evening  so  happy.  Precious  prayer-meeting  in 
the  afternoon.  My  nervous  system  is  so  severely 
taxed  that  T3r.  Royster  says  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  me  to  rest  a  few  days  without  preaching.  Dr. 
Stone  preached  a  timely  sermon  to-night — meeting 
of  great  power-^-interest  unabated. 

"April  1. — Dined  with  Elder  J.  D.  Hufham,  and 
rested.  Dr.  Stone  preached  again  to-night — many 
press  forward  for  prayer.  Miss  Denia  Rogers,  who 
had  been  in  great  trouble  for  days,  was  comforted 
just  before  starting  to  church  this  evening.  Young 
man  was  comforted  during  the  day,  and  three  bright 
boys  to-night,  making  upwards  of  one  hundred  since 
the  commencement  of  the  meeting.  Four  unite  with 
the  church,  making  sixty-six  during  the  meeting. 

"2. — Good  sunrise  prayer-meeting  at  the  First 
Church.  Learned  this  morning  that  two  of  my 
children  are  sick  of  typhoid  fever.  Oh,  what  self- 
denial  to  be  from  home  imder  such  circumstances. 
''The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us." 

""Preached  at  night;  three  bright  professions  of 
faith  in  Christ.  Mr.  Joe  Miller,  an  aged  man,  who 
had  been  a  drunkard,  one  of  the  number — the  Lord 
keep  him  from  temptation.     Two  united  with  the 


110  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 

church,   making     sixtj-eight    during    the    meeting. 
Thus  the  glorious  work  of  saving  souls  goes  on. 

''3. — Dr.  Eojster  came  to  see  me  this  morning; 
says  my  brain  and  nervous  system  are  overtaxed,  and 
that  I  must  rest  a  week,  or  the  strong  probability  is 
that  I  ^\^11  have  a  stroke  of  paralysis  that  will  destroy 
my  usefulness  for  life. 

"4. — Beautiful  morning — rested  tolerably  well 
last  night — the  bells  are  ringing  for  Sunday-school — 
what  seK-denial  to  be  denied  the  privilege  of  meet- 
ing with  church  and  Sunday-school  this  morning; 
but  the  Doctor  says  I  must  not  go  out  to-day.  May 
the  Lord  bless  his  people  abundantly  everywhere  this 
day,  and  especially  at  the  Second  Baptist  Church, 
where  I  have  been  laboring  so  ardently  for  the  last 
^ve  weeks. 

"5. — Bested.  Went  to  church  at  night.  Elder 
A.  Weaver  preached — one  yong  man  professed  faith 
in  Christ. 

"6. — Received  a  letter  from  home  to-day,  inform- 
ing me  of  sickness  in  the  family,  which  calls  me  home. 
Leave  for  home  at  5  p.  m. — reached  home  at  10 
o'clock  at  night,  and  find  the  children  quite  sick  of 
fever — Samuel,  James  and  Thomas.  Here  comes 
in  a  dreadful  siege  of  sickness  in  the  family — six 
cases  of  typhoid  fever.  Our  eldest  son,  Samuel,  and 
my  wife  were  given  up  to  die — it  was  a  great  trial. 
I  went  into  my  ofiice,  knelt  down  and  poured  out  my 
soul  before  God,  that  if  consistent  with  His  will  He 


ELDEK  F.  M.   JOEDAN".  Ill 

would  spare  their  lives,  and  restore  their  health.  God 
of  His  infinite  mercy,  and  great  goodness,  did,  in 
answer  to  prayer,  raise  them  all  np  from  what  seemed 
tC'  be  the  bed  of  death,  for  which  we  had  no  language 
to  express  our  happiness  and  gratitude. 

"1. — Sunday.  Went  to  Raleigh  this  morning — all 
glad  to  see  me.  Preach  at  11  o'clock,  from  Eom. 
8  :28.  Many  profess  to  be  much  edified  by  the  ser- 
mon; eight  unite  with  the  church — a  precious  meet- 
ing. At  night  preach  my  farewell  sermon,  closing 
the  labors  of  six  weeks  with  the  Second  Baptist 
Church.  Text,  Acts  11 :23  :  'Who,  when  he  come 
and  had  seen  the  grace  of  God,  was  glad,  and  exhorted 
them  all,  tbat  with  purpose  of  heart  they  would  cleave 
unto  the  Lord."  An  affecting  scene  follows  the  ser- 
mon— some  twenty  penitents  come  forward — then 
the  young  converts  come  forward  by  scores  to  bid  me 
farewell;  then  follow  the  dear  brethren  and  sisters, 
and  amid  sobs  and  tears  we  bid  each  other  farewell — 
the  house  is  full,  and  but  few  dry  eyes  in  the  vast 
throng.  A  more  impressive  scene  we  have  not  wit- 
nessed. Five  join  the  church  to-night,  making 
ninety  during  the  meeting,  and  more  than  one 
hundred  converts. 

"12. — Make  some  pleasant  visits,  and  leave 
Raleigh  at  5  p.  m.  for  home.  Reach  home  at  9,  and 
find  the  children  better,  but  wife  feeble,  from  care  and 
painful  anxiety.  Rest,  write  and  read  numerous 
notes  received  from  the  young  converts  at  Raleigh. 


112  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

Oh,  what  a  pleasure,  what  a  pleasure.  May  the  Lord 
bless  them  all,  and  help  them  to  hold  out  faithful  to 
the  end,  and  receive  a  cro^vn  of  eternal  life.  May 
the  richest  blessings  of  heaven  ever  rest  upon  the 
Second  Baptist  Church  and  congregation  of  Raleigh. 

'^\pril  5. — Sunday.  Go  to  Raleigh,  preach  at  11 
a  m.  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church.  At  3  p.  m.  I 
baptized  twenty-one  in  the  baptistry  of  the  Second 
Church.  Mrs.  ^f  ary  Ann  Upchurch  was  the  first  per- 
son baptized  in  the  Second  Church.  The  scene  was  sol- 
emn and  impressive.  This  makes  fifty-five  it  has  been 
my  pleasure  to  baptize  into  the  fellowship  of  this 
church. 

''Again  I  take  my  leave  of  the  pastor,  dear  breth- 
ren, sisters  and  young  converts,  and  return  to  my  sick 
family.  Sa,m  seems  to  be  swinging  between  life  and 
death.  We  certainly  have  a  sick  family,  but  let  us 
recognize  the  chastening  hand  of  our  Heavenly 
Father,  for  "whom  the  Lord  loveth  He  chasteneth." 

"Sunday. — Went  to  Raleigh  and  preached  in  the 
Second  Church  at  11  a.  m.  At  3  p.  m.  baptized  Rve 
persons.  Dined  with  Brother  Birdsong,  and 
returned  home. 

"Sam  had  a  hemorrhage  of  the  bowels  to-day. 
Elder  G.  W.  Purefoy  and  Dr.  Wilson  are  here ;  they 
have  both  about  despaired  of  Sam's  life.  Oh,  thou 
Great  Physician  of  soul  and  body,  be  pleased  to  spare 
his  life,  and  raise  him  up  again,  if  consistent  mth 
thy  righteous  will !     My  wife,  Miss  Nancy  and  Fan- 


S.    H.   JORDAN. 
(2d   Child.) 


Rev.   W.   T.   JORDAN. 
(3d   Child. 1 


ELDEK  F.  M.   JORDAN.  113 

nie,  in  bed  with  typhoid  fever.     Only  Jennie,  John- 
nie and  I  able  to  do  anything. 

"Six  cases  of  typhoid  fever.  What  painful 
anxiety  for  the  last  three  weeks.  This  is  the  sorest 
affliction  we  have  ever  had;  may  it  prove  the  greatest 
blessing.  Dr.  Wilson  has  visited  our  sick  family 
every  day  for  about  a  month ,  and  John  has  been  to 
Hillsboro  for  medicine  and  other  things  as  often. 

Received  from  my  friends  at  Durham  two  sacks 
flour,  twenty  pounds  sugar,  ten  pounds  coffee,  ten 
pounds  rice,  and  two  hams.  "Friends  in  need  are 
friends  indeed.''  How  cheering  to  have  such  sym- 
pathy in  such  a  time  of  affliction. 

"How  strauge  it  seems  to  be  at  home  these  beautiful 
Sabbaths;  but  it  is  providential.  So  anxious  to  get 
out  again,  laboring  for  the  Master. 

"Eight  weeks  since  the  boys  taken  sick,  and  Sam 
is  just  now  able  to  sit  up  a  few  minutes. 

"Sunday. — Preached  for  Brother  Redd  in  Dur- 
ham. Called  to  see  Bro.  J.  W.  Cheek;  had  a  pleas- 
ant interview  with  him ;  he  spoke  of  the  many  pleas- 
ant hours  we  had  spent  together ;  said  that  his  trust 
was  in  Jesus,  and  spoke  of  the  hope  that  we  should 
meet  in  heaven.  On  leaving,  my  friends  presented 
me  with  a  purse  of  thirty-three  dollars. 

"Simday. — Brother  G.  W.  Purefoy  and  I  went  to 
Lystra  Church,  where  at  11  a.  m.  I  preached  the 
funeral  of  Brother  Biggsby's  wife,  whom  I  baptized 

8 


114  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

at  Cane  Creek  in  the  twelfth  year  of  her  age.  She 
died  suddenly  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  leaving  a 
sweet  little  daughter  about  two  months  old.  Dined 
with  Brother  Cole,  a  brother  of  B.  F.  Cole,  w^ho  was 
my  classmate  at  Wake  Forest  College.  Returned  to 
my  sick  family  in  the  evening,  a  distance  of  twenty- 
tliree  miles ;  received  from  the  church  and  friends 
at  Lystra  $20.65. 

"Sick  all  improving.  How  thankful  we  should  be 
to  have  had  six  cases  of  typhoid  fever  and  loose  none. 
I  believe  it  was  due  to  the  constant  and  skilful  atten- 
tion of  our  dear  family  physician,  Dr.  Wilson.  He 
came  forty-nine  times,  and  was  so  kind  and  gentle 
that  w^e  all  loved  him,  and  shall  never  forget  him. 
Plis  charge  was  very  moderate,  and  then  he  gave  us 
half  of  that.  May  the  richest  blessings  of  heaven 
ever  rest  upon  Dr.  Wilson  and  his  family;  and  to 
God  be  undivided  thanks  and  everlasting  grattitude. 

I  had  a  little  bay  horse,  named  George,  a  natural 
pacer.  John  rode  him  to  Hillsboro  about  fifty  times 
during  our  sickness.  I  can  see  him  now  pacing  to 
town  and  back.  I  don't  see  how  we  coiild  have  got- 
ten along  without  John  and  his  little  pacing  George. 

Our  neighbors  were  exceedingly  kind  to  us  during 
all  our  sickness,  for  which  we  have  never  found  lan- 
guage to  express  our  thankfulness,  for  somo  one  had 
to  sit  up  with  the  sick  every  night  for  weeks  and 
weeks. 

I  feel  that  it  is  due  to  make  special  mention  of 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  115 

Parrom  IT.  Smith,  who  came  every  other  night,  and 
sometimes  every  night  for  weeks.  God  alone  knows 
what  a  help  and  comfort  he  was  to  us  during  all  this 
sore  affliction.  When  all  six  who  had  typhoid  fever 
began  to  improve,  the  great  trouble  was  to  get  some- 
thing to  eat,  and  to  keep  them  from  killing  them- 
selves eating.  So  I  hired  Miss  Martha  Ward  to  stay 
with  them,  and  regulate  their  cooking  and  eating. 
She  filled  the  bill  exactly,  but  it  was  quite  amusing 
tc  hear  them  beg  and  quarrel  with  her  for  just  a  lit- 
tle more  of  that  chicken  and  soup.  God  raised  them 
all  up,  and  all  are  still  living,  save  the  dear  mother, 
who  in  1886  went  home  to  heaven. 


CHAPTEK  VIII. 


Great  Meeting  at  Murfrpesboro,  N.  C— Baptism  of  a  Young 
Man  at  Night— Great  Revival  at  Mocksville— Visit  to  the 
Grave  of  Dr.  J.  L.  Prichard— Meetings  in  Lumberton— 
Reidsville,  Leaksville,  Winston— Returns  to  the  East- 
Great  Revival  in  Ehzabeth  City  and  Hertford— In  Raleigh 
the  Author  Spends  Several  Days— Preaching  in  the  Court 
House  in  Statesville. 


GREAT  MEETING  AT  MURFREESBORO,   N.   C. 

Sunday. — Preached  with  Bro.  J.  B.  Eichardson  at 
Jersey  Church,  in  Davidson  Connty,  and  had  a 
delightful  meeting  with  the  good  brethren  and  sisters, 
with  whom  we  labored  in  the  glorious  revival  last  fall, 
when  Brother  Richardson  and  I  baptized  sixty-seven, 
and  the  next  Sunday  Brother  P.  baptized  ten  others. 
For  my  visit,  and  in  consequence  of  sickness  in  the 
family,  the  church  gave  me  thirteen  dollars. 

June  8. — Attend  commencement  at  Wake  Forest 
College.  Met  with  Board  of  Trustees.  Stop  with 
Professor  Simmons.  At  night  Dr.  T.  E.  Skinner 
preached  the  sermon  before  the  graduating  class. 
Wednesday  the  literary  address  was  delivered  by 
Hon.  A.  M.  WaddeU,  of  Wilmington.  Subject: 
"The  great  deep." 

Thursday. — The  regular  exercises  of  Commence- 
ment day — nine  graduates —  speeches  all  good — large 
attendance — good  order.  Met  with  the  Philomathe- 
82  an  Society. 


lis  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

Saturday  and  Sunday. — I  preached  at  Gallatia 
Clmrch,  in  Xorthampon  County,  and  Sunday  night 
began  a  meeting  at  Murfresboro  with  Bro.  John 
MitchelL  The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to 
be  manifest  in  the  very  first  service.  Brother 
McDowell,  President  of  the  college,  and  Brother 
]\Iitchell  seemed  to  be  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
of  faiih,  and  many  of  the  dear  girls  of  the  Institute 
were  soon  brought  under  the  saving  power  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  were  made  to  rejoice  in  the  pardon  of  sin 
and  peace  with  God.  Our  daily  prayer  is,  that  God 
will  bless  the  Institute,  His  church  and  people  in  a 
most  wonderful  manner,  and  that  all  these  interests 
ing  daughters  may  be  converted  and  go  home  Chris- 
tians. Preaching  day  and  night,  and  frequently  the 
girls  came  to  Brother  Mitchell's  office  to  talk  with  us 
about  their  soul's  salvation,  and  some  are  converted 
in  the  office.  Happy  scenes  occiu*  at  almost,  if  not 
every  service,  as  one  after  another  finds  the  pearl  of 
great  price,  and  rejoices  in  a  new  found  hope.  Some 
striking  incidents  occur  during  the  meeting.  One 
night,  after  a  glorious  service  at  church,  on  the  way 
to  the  college,  the  girls  sang  beautifully,  "^Rearer  My 
God  to  Thee,"  and  Miss  Dannie  C.  Yann  had  the 
burden  lifted  from  her  heart,  and  there  was  a  time  of 
great  rejoicing.  One  morning  Miss  Carrie  Register 
sent  a  written  request  to  Brother  Mitchell  and 
myself,  to  make  her  a  subject  of  special  prayer,  that 
it  was  her  birthday,  and  that  she  might  be  born  of  the 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  119 

Holy  Spirit  to  live  forever.  We  prayed  earnestly 
for  her  conversion,  and  in  lier  room  at  half  past  eleven 
o'clock  at  night  she  was  bom  of  God,  and  a  Savior's 
love  shed  abroad  in  her  heart.  Miss  Maiy  E.  Wil- 
kins  made  a  profession  of  religion  on  her  way  from 
church  to  the  college. 

ISTearly  all  the  girls  in  the  Institute  are  interested 
in  their  soul's  salvation.  Fifteen  converts  up  to  this 
time.  Have  never  felt  happier  nor  enjoyed  my  work 
more. 

To-night,  on  the  way  from  church,  Miss  Eliza  W. 
Stephens  found  peace  with  God,  and  was  very  happy. 
jSTever  shall  we  forget  the  sweet  singing  of  the  young 
ladies  along  the  broad  avenue  from  the  gate  to  the 
Institute,  and  the  bright  faces  of  those  who  had 
trusted  Jesus. 

On  the  night  of  the  24th  of  June  was  a  time  of 
great  rejoicing  among  Christians,  schoolmates,  and 
classmates.  Three  of  the  young  ladies  were  made 
to  rejoice  in  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  Oh,  what  a  time  of 
rejoicing  among  the  young  converts. 

Sunday,  June  19. — ]^ineteen  received  for  baptism, 
thirteen  young  ladies  of  the  C.  B.  F.  Institute,  and 
six  young  men.  A  great  meeting  to-night;  six  pro- 
fessions of  faith  in  Christ — don't  think  I  ever  ^\dt- 
nessed  a  happier  time.  To-day  dear  little  Anna  Cas- 
well, who  has  been  an  humble  penitent  all  the  meet- 
ing, was  sitting  in  the  summer-house,  reading  her 
Bible,  and  there  alone  found  Jesus  precious  to  her 


l-<>  ELDER  F.   M.   JOKDAN. 

soul,  in  the  pardon  of  her  sins.  She  had  been  the 
subject  of  many  prayers — has  no  father  or  mother 
to  pray  for  her.  Thirteen  yoimg  ladies  imited  with 
the  chnrch  to-day. 

Sunday,  Julv  4. — At  8  o'clock  a  lar^e  concourse 
of  people  assembled  on  the  bank  of  the  Meherrin 
Eiver  to  witness  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  Hymn : 
''Come,  Happy  Souls,  Adore  the  Lamb.''  Prayer  by 
Dr.  McDowell.  Reading  Scriptures  by  Dr.  Mitchell. 
Then  the  writer  led  thirty-two  happy  young  converts 
do^vn  into  the  water,  and  buried  them  with  Christ  in 
baptism — twenty-six  young  ladies,  and  six  young 
men.  Brighter  faces  and  more  heavenly  countenances 
we  never  beheld.  Many  present  said  it  was  the  most 
beautiful  baptism  they  ever  beheld.  Repaired  to  the 
church — the  right  hand  of  fellowship  extended  to 
those  baptized.  The  ^vriter  then  preached  on  the 
ordinances  of  baptism  and  communion — mode,  sub- 
jects, design — after  which  we  celebrated  the  Lord's 
Supper.  Preached  my  farewell  sermon  at  night. 
Thus  closed  a  most  glorious  meeting  of  three  weeks. 

Monday  morning,  met  at  the  river,  and  Dr. 
McDowell  baptized  Miss  Anna  C.  Caswell  and  Miss 
Anjia  C.  Deans.  Miss  Deans  had  been  a  Methodist 
several  years.  She  was  very  happy  when  she  obeyed 
her  blessed  Savior. 

1  )r,  McDowell  greatly  enjoyed  these  meetings,  and 
was  very  happy  in  seeing  so  many  of  his  pupils  giving 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  121 

themselves  to  Christ,  and  their  education  sanctified  by 
the  Christian  religion.  I  never  labored  with  two 
more  lovely  spirits  than  brethren  McDowell  and 
Mitchell. 

Commencement  exercises.  Sermon  to  the  grad- 
uating class  by  Elder  A.  E.  Owen,  of  Portsmouth, 
Ya.  Graduating  class :  Mary  E.  Boon,  Virginia  Ida 
Carlton,  Sarah  M.  Finch,  Mollie  B.  Fort,  Fannie  S. 
Sykes,  Orelia  P.  Williams.  I  baptized  four  of  this 
class.  Essays  good.  Address  by  Maj.  Robert  Bing- 
ham; subject:  "The  Anglo-Saxon  Pace." 

On  my  w^aj^  from  Murfreesboro  I  stopped  to  see 
my  brother  Lockey  Jordan,  who  lived  near  Boykin's 
Depot.  Two  oi  my  brother's  children  had  died,  and 
four  of  them  had  made  a  profession  of  religion.  So 
it  was  arranged,  that  on  Sunday  I  would  preach  the 
funeral  of  the  children  w^ho  had  died,  and  baptize 
those  who  had  made  a  profession  of  religion.  It  was 
at  a  mill,  and  seats  w^ere  prepared  in  a  beautiful 
cypress  grove,  just  below"  a  long  dirt  dam,  on  the  edge 
of  the  stream  where  there  was  a  beautiful  place  for 
baptism.  A  large  congregation  assembled.  I  con- 
ducted the  funeral  service,  and  then  went  right  down 
into  the  water  and  baptized  the  children,  one  son  and 
three  daughters.  They  seemed  to  enjoy  their  bap- 
tism very  much,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  manifested  His 
presence  and  power.  A  young  man  was  there  who 
was  greatly  troubled  on  the  subject  of  baptism,  and 
went  away  more  deeply  impressed.     About  sunset  he 


122  LIFE  AND   LABORS   OF 

came  back,  and  requested  me  to  baptize  him.  I 
hardly  knew  what  to  do ;  but  I  thought  of  Philip  and 
the  Eunuch,  and  that  they  baptized  believers  in  the 
army,  and  gaye  them  a  certificate  of  their  baptism, 
upon  which  they  imited  with  their  respectiye  churches 
at  home.  By  this  time  it  was  about  dark,  no  one 
there  except  my  brother's  family,  and  some  negroes. 
We  went  do^m  to  the  water.  It  was  night.  Stand- 
ing there  under  those  majestic  cypress  trees,  we  sang 
that  soul  inspiring  old  song,  '^Amazing  Grace  How 
Sweet  the  Sound,  That  Saved  a  Wretch  Like  Me." 
We  could  hear  the  echo  awav  down  the  stream.  I 
thought  I  never  heard  singing  sound  so  solemnly  and 
sweetly  in  all  my  life.  And  then,  like  Philip  and 
the  Eunuch,  we  went  down  into  the  water,  and  bap- 
tized him.  He  came  up  out  of  the  water  happy,  and 
went  on  his  way  rejoicing. 

Sunday,  July  11. — Preached  in  the  Second  Bap- 
tist Church,  Raleigh,  at  11  a.  m.,  and  in  the  peniten- 
tiai*y  at  4  p.  m.  Preached  at  night,  and  baptized 
Mrs.  Caudle.  This  church  and  Sunday-school  are 
growing  most  astonishingly  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
J.  J).  Hufham. 

I  want  to  say  here,  that  I  have  no  language  to 
express  the  love  and  admiration  that  I  cherish  for 
Brother  Hufham.  He  is  one  of  the  most  lovable  and 
congenial  men  with  whom  I  have  ever  labored. 
Never  shall  I  forget  our  labors  together  in  that  great 
meeting  in  tJie  Second  Baptist  Church  of  Raleigh. 


ELDET^  F.  M.   JORDAN. 


123 


EteTiiity  alone  will  disclose  the  measure  of  Brother 
Hiifhani's  influence  for  good  in  this  world. 

My  son,  W.  T.  Jordan,  preached  his  first  sermon 
to  the  colored  people  at  Cross  Koads,  Orange  County, 
the  second  Sabbath  in  July,  18 75. 

Sunday,  July  18. — Began  a  meeting  in  Mocks- 
ville  with  W.  R.  Gwaltney,  pastor. 

Drimkenness  is  the  besetting  sin  of  Mocksville,  the 
great  hinderance  of  the  gospel. 

August  1. — Brother  Gwaltney  baptized  Mr. 
Howard,  an  old  man,  who  had  been  a  gTeat  sinner. 
At  night  ]\[aj.  W.  B.  Clement  and  wife  were  received 
for  baptism.  One  night  while  I  was  preaching,  a 
Mr.  Gaines  arose  in  the  back  end  of  the  house,  came 
down  the  aisle,  and  gave  me  his  hand,  accepting 
Christ.  Quite  a  number  during  my  ministry,  have 
accepted  Christ  while  I  was  preaching.     Why  not  ? 

A  very  striking  incident  occurred  during  this  meet- 
ing. One  night,  while  preaching,  I  was  comparing 
and  describing  the  difference  between  the  self- 
righteous  sinner  and  a  reckless  profligate.  The  srdf- 
righteous  sinner  was  like  a  scrubby  oak,  or  a  cedar  in 
the  old  field,  with  the  longest  limbs  coming  out  at  the 
ground ;  it  w^as  difiicult  to  get  to  the  trunk  of  the  tree 
to  cut  it  ofl',  and  when  you  did,  it  did  not  fall  much 
nearer  the  ground  than  it  Avas  when  you  began  to 
cut,  from  the  fact  that  it  w^as  catching,  and  resting 
upon  these  limbs ;  and  then  you  have  to  cut  off  limb 
after  limb,  before  you  could  get  the  miserable  little 


124  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

trunk  on  the  gronnd.  Like  the  sinner,  righteous  in 
his  o\ni  eyes,  despising  others,  it  was  hard  to  break 
him  oii  tVom  his  self-righteousness,  and  have  him  beg 
for  mercv;  and  consent  to  be  saved  by  grace.  Wbile 
the  poor  pVofligate  sinner  was  like  a  tall  pine  tree  in 
the  sandhills,  it  was  no  trouble  to  get  to  it,  and  when 
you  cut  it  off,  it  fell  flat  all  along  on  the  ground, 
because  there  were  no  limbs  to  catch,  and  hold  it  up. 
So  this  poor  sinner,  having  nothing  good  to  cling  to, 
just  falls  flat,  and  cries  out,  '"God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner.'*  There  was  a  poor  old  sinner  in  the  congre- 
gation of  the  latter  class.  lie  went  home  after  the 
service,  and  while  he  was  in  one  room,  and  his  wife  in 
another,  he  called  to  his  wife,  and  said :  ^'Wife,  wife 
come  here,  the  old  tree  is  doAvn."  He  had  given  up 
his  oAvn  self-righteousness  and  accepted  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ. 

August  8. — Began  a  meeting  at  Lystra  Church, 
near  Chapel  Jlill,  with  Bro.  J.  P.  Mason,  pastor. 
Preached  twice  a  day  for  eight  days — a  meeting  of 
great  power.  On  Monday  I  baptized  seventeen  in 
the  presence  of  a  vast  assembly.  Two  of  the  num- 
ber from  the  O'Kelleyites  and  one  Methodist.  Thir- 
ty-three made  a  profession  of  religion  during  this 
meeting.      Twenty-six  united  with  the  church. 

Sunday,  August  21. — Began  a  meeting  at  Kidd's 
Chapel  in  Lincoln  County.  Continued  eleven  days. 
I  baptized  fourteen  at  Maj.  W.  A.  Graham's  mill, 
six  of  AA-hom  were    Methodists    and    one    Lutheran. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  ^^"O 


Here,  as  elsewhere,  we  were  faithful  in  expounding 
the  two  ordinances  of  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
the  truth  prevailed.     If  the  people  do  not  get  ihe^ 
wliole  truth  from  the  Baptists  they  will  never  get  it 
anywhere  else.     Bro.  K.  H.  Moodey  was  with  us  in 
thi's  meeting,  and  preached  three  good  sermons.  Here 
I  had  a  good  time  in  the  charming  family  of  Maj. 
W.  A.  Graham,  and  the  good  'people, around  Kidd's 
Chapel.      Since  the  first  of  January  two  Sfedred  and 
four   persons   have   made   a   profession   of   faith   in 
Christ  and  I  have  baptized  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
one  persons. 

September  3.— Left  home  for  Lumberton,  Kobeson 
County,  to  aid  Bro.  A.  H.  Pittman  in  a  meeting. 
Stopped  in  Wilmington  with  Bro.  Alexander  Old- 
ham. Visited  Oakdale  cemetery.  Saw  Bro.  John 
L.  Pritchard's  grave  and  monument.  Here  lies  the 
uoble  man  of  God  who  once  so  faithfully  preached 
the  gospel  of  peace. 

Sunday,  September  5.— Preached  in  the  old  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Lumberton,  just  out  in  the  edge  of  the 
swamp.  I  have  a  good  room  in  the  hospitable  home 
of  Bro.  Berry  Godwin.  The  church  seems  to  be  in 
fine  spiritual  condition,  and  the  pastor  full  of  the 
Spirit.  I  preach  day  and  night,  and  the  interest  of 
the  meeting  increases  at  every  service.  The  whole 
to^^m  is  moved,  and  the  spirit  reaches  out  into  the 
surrounding  country.  At  midnight  a  bar-keeper  sent 
f6r  Brother  Pittm.an  and  me  to  pray  for  him.     We 


126  LIFE  AND  LABOBS    OF 

went  and  prayed  for  him  that  God  would  help  him  to 
give  up  his  business,  and  give  himself  to  Christ. 
Many  seem  deeply  convicted  of  sin,  and  more  or  less 
conversions  at  every  ser^dce.  Visited  old  Sister 
McXeill,  now  in  her  89th  year;  was  baptized  by  Wil- 
liam Tims,  1811,  has  been  a  member  of  the  chnrch 
sixty-fonr  years. 

Mr.  Bnllard  was  a  bar-keeper ;  had  a  good  wife  and 
one  little  daughter.  Sister  Carlyle  went  to  him  in 
his  bar-room,  and  begged  him  to  give  np  his  business 
and  seek  salvation.  He  consented,  went  to  the  house 
of  God,  and  he  and  his  little  daughter  both  gave  them- 
selves to  Christ.  I  baptized  them.  His  little  daugh- 
ter was  the  youngest  person  I  ever  baptized — think 
she  was  in  her  eighth  year.  Sister  Carlyle,  a  feeble, 
sickly  woman,  was  one  of  the  best  workers,  and  soul- 
winners  I  have  met  in  all  my  travels. 

Sunday,  September  19. — I  baptized  thirty-two 
happy  young  converts  in  Lumber  River,  several  from 
nine  to  thirteen  years  of  age. 

Monday  I  baptized  six  others,  making  thirty-eight 
in  all.  Many  spectators  weep  as  they  see  the  lovely 
young  people  buried  with  their  blessed  Savior  in  bap- 
tism. The  meeting  lasted  sixteen  days — forty-one 
additions  to  the  church — thirty-eight  baptized. 

This  lias  been  a  wonderful  work  of  grace.  Brother 
Pittman  is  a  dear,  good  brother,  constrained  by  the 
love  of  Christ. 

On  Friday  night,  October  1st,  began  a  meeting  in 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN. 


127 


AVinton  on  the  Chowan  Kiver.  My  home  is  with 
W.  P.  Shaw.  The  meetinc:  continned  ten  days.  On 
Sunday  T  baptized  tAventy  in  the  Chowan  River— ten 
males,  and  ten  females. 

As  I  write  up  these  glorious  meetings,  many 
delia-htful  scenes  come  to  niv  mind,  which  space  for- 
bids  to  record.  I  recall  with  pleasure  the  names  of 
brethren  Shaw,  :Mitchell,  Vann,  Taylor,  Sister  Garris 
and  Luany  others. 

Sunday,  October  17.— The  new,  pine  meeting- 
house in  Davidson  County,  was  dedicated  to  the  ser- 
vice of  (xod.  Hymn,  ^'I  Love  Thy  Kingdom,  Lord," 
etc.  Prayer  by  Elder  11.  Morton.  Sermon  by 
Elder  F.  M.  Jordan.     Dimensions,  36  x  56;  cost, 

$900. 

The  meeting  is  continued.  On  Thursday  I  go  to 
Durham,  and  marry  Miss  ]!^annie  Earthing  to  Mr. 
Thomas  J.  Christian,  and  return  to  the  meeting. 
October  24:th,  at  Brown's  Eerry,  I  baptized  thirteen 
converts  in  the  Yadkin  River. 

Erom  this  place  I  went  to  Leaksville.  Here  I  met 
Dr.  Barker,  a  phrenologist,  who  examined  my  head. 
Among  other  things  he  said,  "You  would  make  a  good 
pioneer — you  are  not  afraid  of  the  devil." 

On  the  26th  of  October,  I  began  a  meeting  at 
Leaksville,  Rockingham  Countv.  The  meeting  con- 
tinued ten  days  in  power  and  demonstration  of  tbe 
Spirit ;  twenty-six  made  a  profession ,  of  faith  in 
Christ,  twenty  united  with  the  church,and  on  Sunday, 


128  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

November  7th,  I  baptized  seventeen  in  Dan  River, 
at  the  Boat  Landing,  in  the  presence  of,  it  was  said, 
fifteen  hundred  people.  Old  Brother  Fretwell,  who 
had  heen  a  Methodist  more  than  thirty  years,  was 
baptized.  Tie  was  very  happy.  Sister  Morehead, 
sister  of  Col.  J.  K.  Connallv,  greatly  enjoyed  the 
meeting.  I  preached  on  implicit  obedience  to  all  the 
commands  of  God.  She  said  she  was  always  a  strong 
Ea]itist,  but  that  she  was  stron^f^er  now  than  ever. 

Brother  P.  H.  Fontaine  is  pastor  at  Leaksville — a 
safe,  strong  man.  My  association  with  these  good 
pastors  in  my  labors  have  been  a  great  help  and  bless- 
ing to  me,  and  I  have  always  tried  to  strengthen  and 
help  them. 

During  this  year  I  have  prear'hed  two  hundred  and 
fifty-seven  sermons,  and  three  Itundred  and  seven 
have  made  a  profession  of  relig^"r)n,  and  I  have  bap- 
tized two  hundred  and  nineteen. 

ISTovember  8. — Start  to  the  State  Convention  at 
Shelby.  Stop  at  Brother  Haden's,  in  Davidson 
County,  and  marry  Miss  Alice  Haden  to  Mr.  P.  H. 
Thompson — fine  dinner — nice  time — fee,  ten  dollars. 
My  home  in  Shelby  is  with  J.  0.  Roberts.  Conven- 
tion organized.  John  Kerr  President,  W.  A.  Gra- 
ham Vice-President,  J.  D.  Hufham  Secretary,  P.  P. 
Lnderwood  Assistant  Secretary.  A  spiritual,  har- 
monious session. 

I)eceml)er  1. — Begin  a  meeting  in  Peidsville,  with 
P.    II.   Fontaine,  pastor.      The  church  is  in  a  cold 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  129 

state,  and  sinners  hard  to  move.  Zion  is  not  in 
travail,  for  wlien  Zion  travails,  she  bringeth  forth  her 
children.  I  preach  day  and  ni^ht,  and  the  ice  seems 
to  be  breaking  and  melting.  Seme  seem  awakened, 
and  some  few  professed  conversion.  Am  almost 
exhausted  from  long  and  arduous  labors ;  have  strong 
symptoms  of  paralysis ;  keep  my  bed  all  day. 

This  is  the  hardest  field  I  have  fcund.  The  people 
seem  more  determined  to  serve  the  devil  than  any  I 
have  met.  j\rany  professing  Chri-stians  seem  almost 
entirely  indifferent.  But  our  reward  depends  upon 
our  faithfulness,  not  our  success.  Ten  professions 
of  religion  during  the  meeting-  -seven  men  and  thi'ee 
women. 

The  meeting  continued  nineteen  days — the  weather 
exceedingly  cold.  This  is  the  home  of  Judge  John 
Kerr.  I  had  many  delightful  and  profitable  conver- 
sations with  him  during  the  meeting.  He  was  so 
spiritually  and  heavenly  minded,  it  was  a  benediction 
to  be  with  him.  And  then  I  had  rich  enjoyment  with 
Brother  Fontaine,  and  the  good  people  of  Reidsville. 
•  Beturned  home  after  an  absence  of  three  weeks, 
almost  exhausted  from  continuous  labors  day  and 
night. 

This  closes  the  labors  of  1875.  Sermons  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty- two,  professions  of  religion  three 
hundred  and  seventeen,  baptized  two  hundred  and 
nineteen. 

9 


130  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

How  sweet  to  rest  with  the  loved  ones  at  home, 
faint  emblem  of  that  sweet  rest  in  heaven. 

1876. — JannaiT  4. — Leave  home  for  Elizabeth 
City.  Stop  at  Mnrf reesboro  to  see  my  daughter  Jen- 
nie, at  the  C.  B.  F.  Institute,  Took  the  steamer 
^'Ilellen  Smith/''  touched  at  \Tinton,  thence  up  the 
Black  Water  to  Franklin,  Ya.,  thence  by  rail  to  Ports- 
mouth, Va. ;  stopped  at  the  Crawford  House ;  left 
Portsmouth  at  7  a.  m.  in  the  steamer  ^'Thomas  Jef- 
ferson y'  came  down  the  I)ism^d  Swamp  Canal ;  saw 
one  cornfield  of  eleven  hundred  acres,  averaging- 
forty  bushels  per  acre — at  one  place  five  hundred  bee- 
hives. 

Sunday,  January  9. — Begin  a  meeting  in  Eliza- 
beth City.  The  church  is  without  a  pastor.  Bro.  O.  C. 
Horton  lived  in  the  city,  and  the  beloved  B.  R. 
()verby  just  across  the  country  in  Camden.  Both  of 
these  good  brethren  were  with  me  in  the  meeting. 
!My  home  was  with  Brother  Horton.  Prayer-meet- 
ing eveiy  morning,  and  preaching  at  night.  The 
congi'egations  are  large  and  attentive.  The  church  is 
spiritual,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  signified  His  presence, 
and  willingness  to  bless  at  every  service.  Beautiful 
moonlight  nights;  the  people  come  for  ten  miles  in 
the  country  in  carts,  buggies,  horseback,  and  on  foot. 
A  deep  work  of  grace  seems  to  be  permeating  the 
hearts  of  the  people  in  town  and  country.  The 
prayer-meetings  are  full  of  spiritual  life,  and  exceed- 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  131 

ingly  precious.  God's  people  are  full  of  joy  and  hap- 
piness to  overflowing. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  wonderfully  moving  the  hearts 
of  the  people  of  Elizabeth  City ;  Christians  are  work- 
ing and  praying,  and  many  are  seeking  salvation; 
convictions  for  sin  deep  and  pungent^  and  converts 
bright  and  happy. 

We  rely  upon  the  Holy  Spirit  to  bless  the  word, 
and  make  it  effectual  in  the  conviction  and  conver- 
sion of  sinners.  More  or  less  conversions  at  every 
sendee.  The  Lord  be  praised.  Saturday  morning 
eighteen  received  for  baptism. 

Sunday,  January  30. — I  preach  on  baptism  and 
communion ;  twenty-one  unite  with  the  church.  I 
never  fail  to  teach  young  converts  their  duty  with 
regard  to  baptism  and  communion.  Most  evange- 
lists never  say  a  word  about  the  ordinances,  but  just 
leave  the  converts  to  be  picked  up  by  anybody  and 
everybody,  without  any  instruction.  They  seek  pop- 
ularity by  dispensing  with  disagreeable  truth.  I 
always  seek  to  please  God  and  not  man. 

Monday,  January  31. — Met  at  the  water  at  10 
a.  m.  Quite  a  number  of  boats  gathered  in  a  semicir- 
cle aroimd  the  place  of  baptism,  and  a  vast  assembly 
on  the  shore.  Then  it  was  my  pleasure  to  baptize 
thirty-seven  happy  believers  in  Christ.  This  was  a 
memorable  day  for  the  people  of  Elizabeth  City.  Met 
at  night  and  gave  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to 
those  baptized,  and  commemorated  the  death  and  suf- 


132  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

ferings  of  Christ.  Bade  the  brethren,  sisters  and 
dear  young  con\rerts  an  affectionate  farewell.  Thus 
closed  a  glorious  meeting  of  three  weeks  in  Elizabeth 
City.  Among  the  number  baptized  was  Bro.  J.  F. 
j.ovo,  noAA'  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Suffolk, 
Yd.  lie  i>=  my  son  in  the  gospel,  and  I  am  proud  of 
liiin. 

Sheriff  Fred  Cohoon  and  wife  were  also  among  the 
p limber  baptized.  T  have  many  pleasant  recollec- 
tions of  this  great  meeting.  My  stay  with  Brother 
G.  C.  IToi*ton  was  delightful.  Dear  Sister  Horton, 
now  in  lieaven,  took  so  much  pleasure  in  preparing 
fisli  and  oysters  for  me,  of  which  I  am  so  remarkably 
fond.  Xever  shall  I  forget  the  fine  bluefish  she  fried 
tor  me.  And  then  all  the  people  of  Elizabeth  City 
treated  me  so  kindly.  Brother  Sykes,  whom  I  bap- 
tized, sent  me  a  barrel  of  fine  fresh  herring.  Oh, 
how  much  I  did  enjoy  those  fish.  And  then  I 
enjoyed  so  much  the  companionship  of  that  noble  man 
of  God,  Dr.  Overby,  for  three  weeks.  I  remember 
his  fervent  prayers,  and  earnest  exhortations.  I 
spent  one  day  with  Brother  Stephens  in  Camden, 
whose  daughter  I  baptized  at  Murfreesboro,and  called 
to  see  Sister  Overby,  who  has  long  since  been  in 
heaven. 

Oh,  what  a  pleasure  it  won  Id  afford  to  see  those 
^ollng  converts  whom  T  baptized,  and  their  loved 
ones,  and  rehearse  the  happy  scenes  of  that  wonderful 
nieetiTig.     But  many  of  them  are  already  in  the  glory 


ELDER  F.   M.   JOKDAT^.  133 

^^orlcl.     We  shall  meet  in  the  sweet  bye  and  bye,  in 
that  beautiful  hind  on  the  other  shore. 

On  my  way  from  Elizabeth  City,  I  stopped  at 
Hertford,  Perquimans  County.  Elder  T.  Harrison, 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church,  prevailed  upon  me  to 
stay  a  week  with  him.  I  found  a  magnificent  brick 
house  of  worship,  built  by  old  Brother  Skinner,  at  a 
cost  of  $10,000,  and  a  cold,  lukewarm  membership. 
We  had  two  services  ejtch  day  for  a  week.  On  Sat- 
urday T  went  out  to  Bethel,  five  miles  in  the  country. 
T  heard  that  the  members  of  this  church  had  been 
swapping  horses,  cheating,  playing  cards,  dancing, 
swearing,  and  cutting  up  generally.  So  I  preached 
the  funeral  of  the  whole  concern.  Brother  Williams, 
the  pastor,  turned  to  me,  and  said :  ^^I  would  not  take 
a  horse  for  that  sermon."  Dined  with  Brother 
George  Fleetwood ;  went  out  to  "his  mill,  and  killed 
four  fine  jackfish  with  a  cvpress'  board,  and  carried 
them  to  a  sick  lady  in  Hertford. 

At  night  seven  united  with  the  church.  I  preached 
at  11  a.  m.  on  Sunday,  and  at  3  p.  m.  a  vast  assembly 
gathere<i  on  the  sound,  w^here  I  suppose  it  was  three 
miles  wide.  Brother  Harrison  Avas  so  much  afraid 
that  I  would  say  something  to  hurt  Uncle  John,  or 
Aunt  Sucky's  feelings,  that  he  would  not  even  let 
me  read  the  Scriptures  at  the  water.  So  he  read 
himself.  The  Methodist  preacher  was  standing 
where  T  could  have  laid  my  hand  upon  him.  And 
when  Brother  Harrison  read  about  Philip  and  the 


134:  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

EtuuicIi  going"  down  into  the  water,  I  said :  ^^Brother 
Harrison,  Philip  mnst  liave  been  a  Baptist 
preacher."  I  was  bound  to  say  something.  I  think 
thev  mnst  have  gone  out  into  the  sound  at  least  one 
liundred  and  fifty  yards  to  find  w^ater  the  right  depth. 
They  looked  to  be  about  the  size  of  turkeys.  But  he 
baptized  six  nicely.  Preached  my  farewell  sermon 
ar  night,  and  closed  a  good' meeting  in  Hertford. 

Returned  home  after  an  absence  of  forty-five  days. 
During  this  tour  about  seventy  persons  made  a  pro- 
fession of  religion,  and  forty- twO'  united  with  the 
church  at  Elizabeth  City,  and  eight  at  Hertford.  How 
delightful  to  be  mth  the  loved  ones  at  home.  My 
faithful  and  devoted  wife,  with  all  the  cares  of  home, 
is  making  greater  sacrifices  than  her  companion,  who 
is  absent  most  of  his  time.  She  is  a  true  helpmeet  in 
preaching  the  gospel  to  lost  sinners. 

Sunday  night,  February  20. — Began  a  meeting  in 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  Baleigh,  with  Dr.  Pritch- 
ard,  pastor.  The  church  seems  to  be  in  a  lukewarm 
state,  but  large  congregations. 

Preached  several  afternoons  to  the  deaf  mutes  in 
the  Asylum — David  Dudley  interpreter.  Four  of 
the  deaf  have  professed  faith  in  Christ.  Immense 
congregations,  but  sinners  hard  to  move.  It  seems 
hard  for  Christians  to  catch  the  spirit  of  work.  Vis- 
ited the  Seminary,  Brother  Hobgood's  school,  several 
times,  and  prayed  with  the  girls ;  Miss  Mattie  Mason, 
daughter  Elder  J.  P.  Mason,  w^as  happily  converted. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  135 

Sunday,  March  5. — Attended  Sunday  school  at 
the  Second  Church;  Sunday-school  numbers  two 
hundred  and  five.  At  night  Dr.  Pritchard  baptized 
five,  making  ten  during  the  meeting.  The  meeting 
continued  eighteen  days.  I  preached  twenty  ser- 
mons. Taking  in  all  the  work  at  the  church,  the 
Asylum,  and  the  Seminary,  doubtless  a  gi*eat  deal  of 
good  was  accomplished.  Preached  my  farewell  ser- 
mon, and  leave  Kaleigh  for  Wake  Forest  College. 

Marcli  9. — Began  a  meeting  at  the  college.  My 
home  is  witli  Professor  Simmons.  Miss  Raibon 
made  a  bright  profession  of  religion  at  the  first  ser- 
vice. The  church  is. not  fully  aroused ;  needs  greatly 
to  be  revived — needs  power  from  on  high,  more  of  the 
fullness  of  Christ.  Preached  thirteen  seiTQons. 
Twelve  persons  have  professed  conversion  to  God. 
Among  the  number,  Willie  Jones,  son  of  Elder  R.  B. 
Jones.  Doctors  Wingate,  Walters,  Brooks,  James  S. 
Purefoy,  and  Professor  Simmons,  were  all  in  this 
meeting;  now  all  in  heaven.  One  by  one,  God's 
diildren  are  gathering  home.  So  many  witli  whom  I 
have  lived  and  labored,  are  gone  home  to  rest  from 
their  labors  with  Christ,  and  the  spirits  of  the  just 
made  perfect.  Came  through  Kaleigh  and  preached 
in  the  Second  Baptist  Church.  Oh,  how  many  times 
it  has  been  my  privilege  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the 
c-ty  of  Raleigh. 

Have  preached  an  average  of  one  sermon  a  day  this 


136  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

veai',  and  about  one  hnndred  persons  have  made  a 
profession  of  religion. 

On  Saturday  nighty  March  25,  I  preached  in  the 
conrr-linnse  in  Statesville,  beginning  a  meeting  with 
this  little  infant,  struggling  church.  Stopped  with 
my  old  friend,  J.  L.  Mclvee. 

Sunday  I  preached  at  11  a.  m.,  and  dined  with  old 
Sister  Gillespie,  who  had  been  about  the  only  Baptist 
in  Statesville  for  many  years,  but  who  had  been  true 
and  faithful,  hoping  and  praying  for  Baptist  preach- 
ing, and  for  a  Baptist  Church  in  Statesville.  Attended 
Sunday-school  in  the  afternoon ;  Dr.  Robertson  super- 
intendent. The  school  is  in  its  infancy,  but  a  very 
interesting  school.  Prayer-meeting  every  morning 
and  preaching  at  night.  Elder  J.  B.  Boone  is  pastor 
of  the  church.  Brethren  Boone,  J.  B.  Marsh  and  I 
dine  with  Dr.  Robertson,  have  prayers  and  songs  in 
the  parlor,  when  the  two  eldest  daughters  make  a 
bright  profession  of  religion.  The  interest  grows  at 
every  service.  Six  of  the  dear  Sunday-school 
children  have  found  the  Savior  precious  the  first 
week. 

April  4. — ITine  received  for  baptism.  The  last 
night  of  the  meeting  I  preached  on  baptism  and  com- 
munion— never  fail  to  bring  that  in.  Four  unite 
with  the  church. 

April  7. — Brother  Boone  baptized  fourteen  in  the 
presence  of  a  vast  assembly — Dr.  A.  T.  Robertson, 
professor   in   the   Theological   Seminar)^,   Louisville, 


ELDER  F.  M.   .TOKDAN.  137 

Ky.,  one  of  the  number.  This  meeting  has  laid  the 
foundation  for  a  great  work  in  Statesville.  Preached 
my  farewell  sermon,  and  leave  the  pastor  and  little 
church  in  Statesville,  greatly  strengthened  and 
encouraged. 

From  here  I  go  to  Asheville ;  take  the  stage  at 
Henry  Station  and  wind  up  between  the  towering 
mountains  to  the  top  of  the  Blue  Kidge  at  Swanna- 
noa  Gap ;  came  down  the  beautiful  Swannanoa  River, 
beholding  the  majestic  ranges  of  mountains,  and  the 
works  of  nature's  God.  Keach  Asheville,  and  stop 
with  Thomas  Cheek. 

April  9. — Begin  a  meeting  in  Asheville  with  Dr. 
John  Mitchell,  pastor.  Old  Brother  Stradley,  of 
precious  memory,  had  labored  and  sacrificed  for  many 
years  to  keep  the  interest,  and  the  little  church  alive 
iii  Asheville.  He  was  pastor,  and  almost  everything 
else,  for  many  years.  And  when  too  old  and  infirm 
to  be  pastor  any  longer  it  was  with  great  reluctance 
that  he  gave  up  the  leadership  of  the  little  flock. 
Brother  Mitchell  succeeded  Brother  Stradley,  and  had 
just  taken  charge  of  the  church  when  I  went  to  his 
assistance.  The  interest  was  at  a  low  ebb  at  that 
time.  Prayer-meeting  every  day  at  10  a.  m.,  and 
preaching  at  night.  As  the  meeting  advances  the 
interest  increases ;  sinners  are  convicted  and  mourn- 
ers are  comforted. 

April  19. — Sixteen  unite  with  the  church.  Happy 
day.     Mrs.  Bunn,  an  Episcopalian,  has  sought  and 


138  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

found  the  Savior  precious.  She  found  that  infant 
sprinkling  is  not  regeneration. 

Sunday. — Sixty-four  officers  and  children,  all  told, 
in  the  Sunday-school.'  How  does  that  compare  with 
the  old  First  Church  of  Asheville  now  ?  At  4  p.  m. 
Brother  Mitchell  baptized  sixteen  in  the  French 
Broad  River,  below  Smith's  Bridge,  in  the  presence 
nf  some  two  thousand  people.  At  night  preached 
my  farewell  sermon — some  fifty  penitents. 

I  wish  to  say  here  that  the  Baptist  church  and 
cause  in  Asheville  have  been  steadily  growing  ever 
since  that  meeting.  What  a  contrast  between  1876 
and  1899,  in  regard  to  the  state  and  standing  of  the 
Baptists  in  Asheville.  I  return  home  after  an 
absence  of  thirty-three  days. 

April  30. — Began  a  meeting  in  Carthage,  Moore 
County.  This  church  and  town  certainly  need  a 
great  revival  of  religion.  The  standard  of  piety  and 
morality  need  to  be  elevated.  Dr.  Bro^\Ti  carried 
me  out  to  W.  B.  Richardson's ;  saw  old  Sister  Rich- 
ardson, wife  of  Elder  N^oah  Richardson,  who  was 
pastor  ofj  and  preached  a  great  deal  at  old  Cross 
Roads  (Fork  of  Little  River).,  my  old  mother 
church ;  and  to  me  was  one  of  the  best  pulpit  orators 
to  Avhom  I  ever  listened,  and  the  ablest  man  in  prayer 
I  ever  heard.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  heaven  in  his 
voice.  When  he  preached  I  was  always  in  a  dread 
for  fear  that  he  would  quit,  while  with  regard  to 
others,  I  thought  that  was  the  best  part  of  it. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAIST.  139 

On  tlie  14th  of  May,  in  a  nice  pool,  in  the  edge  of 
town,  I  baptized  twelve  happy  believers,  six  men  and 
six  young  ladies ;  preach  my  farewell  sermon^  and  bid 
the  good  people  of  Carthage  farewell. 

Sunday,  May  21. — Begin  a  meeting  in  Murfrees- 
boro.  Am  so  pleasantly  situated  in  ^^Hope  Cottage.'' 
But  the  beloved  disciple,  John  Mitchell,  is  not  here, 
but  the  beloved  McDow^ell,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are 
here.  A  glorious  work  of  grace  begins  with  the  meet- 
ing, and  the  unsaved  are  readily  inclined  to  seek  sal- 
vation. 

On  the  fifth  night  of  the  meeting  eleven  young 
ladies  of  the  Institute  made  a  bright  profession  of 
faith  in  Christ,  five  at  the  church,  and  six  after  they 
returned  to  the  College.  The  teachers  and  girls  went 
up  into  the  building,  and* I  went  into  ^^Hope.''  I 
could  hear  them  singing,  praying  and  rejoicing.  I 
went  out  and  walked  back  and  forth  in  front  of  the 
College ;  sometimes  they  would  break  out  in  one  end 
of  the  building,  and  then  in  the  other.  I  never 
expect  to  be  happier  this  side  of  heaven,  than  I  was 
that  night,  while  the  Holy  Spirit  was  carrying  on  his 
regenerating  work,  and  Christians  rejoicing  because 
of  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts.  It 
was  1  o'clock  before  they  became  quiet,  put  out  their 
lights  and  retired.  One  of  the  teachers  was  con- 
certed that  night.  These  were  old-fashioned  convic- 
tions, and  voluntary  professions.  This  was  a  won- 
derful display  of  God's  saving  power.      The  dear  girls 


14-0  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

found  the  Savior  in  their  rooms,  at  different  hours, 
and  alone  bv  themselves.  Don't  think  I  ever  wit- 
nessed a  more  genuine  work  of  grace. 

On  Sunday  night,  June  4th,  a  large  congregation 
gathered  in  the  church  to  witness  the  ordinance  of 
baptism.  Dr.  McDowell  led  in  prayer.  Then  it 
was  my  great  pleasure  to  bury  with  Christ  in  bap- 
tism seventeen  beautiful  girls  of  the  C.  B.  F.  Insti- 
tute. The  beautiful  light  beaming  dovm  on  the  bap- 
tistry, many  said  it  was  the  most  beautiful  sight  they 
ever  beheld.  They  were  all  dressed  in  white,  and  all 
so  happy.  This  was  an  important  incident  on  my 
forty-sixth  birthday,  to  baptize  seventeen  lovely 
school  girls.  1  hope  to  meet  them  all  in  the  glory 
world.  Some  of  them  at  least  may  be  permitted  to 
see  these  lines,  and  they  will  remember  with  pleasure 
that  happy  incident.  This  closes  the  exercises  of 
another  glorious  meeting  in  Murfreesboro.  Twenty- 
four  professions  of  religion,  seventeen  baptized. 

Attend  commencement  at  Wake  Forest.  Stop  with 
Professor  Simmons.  ^Meet  Avith  the  Board  of  Trus^ 
tees.  Dr.  C.  C.  Bitting  preached  a  good  sermon 
before  the  graduating  class. 

Wednesday. — Dr.  Bitting  read  the  address  pre^ 
pared  by  W.  M.  Robins,  of  Statesville.  Met  with  the 
Board  of  Trustees;  very  harmonious  session.  Bro. 
George  W.  Thompson  closed  with  a  feeling  prayer. 
Dr.  Pritchard  delivered  the  address  before  the 
alumni. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  141 

Thursday. — Eegnlar  exercises  of  Commencement 
day — four  graduates — speeches  all  good.  Valedic- 
tory address  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Powers,  of  Pender  County, 

k'c. 

Rested  with  the  loved  ones  at  home.  Have 
preached  nearly  every  day  this  year,  having  spent 
three  weeks  in  Elizabeth  City,  one  week  in  Hertford, 
three  weeks  in  Kaleigh,  one  week  at  Wake  Forest,  two 
weeks  at  Statesville,  two  weeks  at  Asheville,  two 
weeks  at  Carthage,  and  two  weeks  at  Murfreesboro.  In 
these  meetings  one  hundred  and  eighty-four  souls 
have  professed  faith  in  Christ. 

June  23 — Start  to  Commencement  at  Murfreesboro. 
Sto])  in  Kaleigh,  preach  in  the  Second  Baptist 
Church,  and  baptize  Miss  Johnson. 

Preach  in  the  Baptist  Church  in  Murfreesboro  Sun- 
day, and  baptized  Miss  Emma  Shaw  and  Miss  Martha 
Johnson. 

Dr.  Pritchard  preached  the  Annual  Sermon  to  the 
graduating  class.  Twenty  young  ladies  graduated. 
Dr.  T.  T.  Eaton  delivered  the  address.  I  recollect 
one  thing  he  said.  He  had  heard  of  some  people's 
head  gr owing  gray  in  one  night  over  some  great 
trouble;  said  he  did  not  know  so  much  about  that, 
but  that  he  had  kno\vn  men's  heads  to  turn  jet  black 
in  six  weeks  after  their  wife  died. 

]My  daughter  Jennie  has  been  at  the  Institute  this 
session. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 


Meetings  Continued— Yanceyville— Durham— A  Visit  to  the 
Mountains— Hendersonville- Littleton— W.  T.  Walters- 
Oxford— Stringing  Fish— Evangelist  Pearson— Vance  and 
Settle— An  Auction  Sale— Breaking  up  Home— Voting  for 
Vance  and  Tilden— Ashe ville— 1877,  Deep  Snow— Salis- 
bury—Judge  Kerr— Dr.  Whitehead— J.  B.  Boone— Shelby— 
A.  L.  Stough—Berea— Charlotte— Rutherfordton— Enon— 
Gashe's  Creek  —  Brevard  —  Big  Ivey  — Catching  Trout- 
Shouting  —  Catawba  Station  —  Kinston  —  Convention— 
Henderson— Wilmington— J.  B.  Taylor. 


Suiiday,  July   16. — Begin  a  meeting  in  Yancey- 
ville with  Elder  F.  TI.  Jones,  pastor.     Preached  day 
and  night  for  twelve  days.     Brother  Jones  baptized 
ten.      Sixteen   made    a    profession    of    religion    in 
Yanceyville,  making  one  thousand  in  two  and  a  half 
years.     Brother  Jones'  little  daughter,  Minnie,  made 
a  bright  profession  of  religion  in  her  tenth  year.     I 
baptized  her  little  sister,  Rosa,  at  Kerr^s  Chapel  in 
her  ninth  year.     A  striking  incident  occurred  during 
this  meeting.     A  good  Methodist  brother  was  very 
much  taken  with  me  in  the  outset ;  thought  I  was  a 
good  preacher,  and  a  wonderful  man;  said  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  give  me  a  nice  suit  of  clothes. 
But  before  we  got  through  I  said  something  on  the 
ordinances  of  baptism  and  communion,  which  put  all 
the  fat  into  the  fire,  and  he  said  he  would  not  give 
me  a  cent.     I  told  the  brethren  that  I  expected  to 
make  two  dollars  to  where  I  lost  one  by  him  by  preach- 


144  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

iiio-  the  wliole  truth  faithfully,  and  not  failing  to 
declare  all  the  counsel  of  God.  That  I  did  not  know 
liow  it  was  coming,  nor  where  it  would  come  from. 
So  on  mv  way  home  I  spent  the  night  with  Anderson 
\V.  Pattillow,  a  great  friend  of  mine.  ^N'ext  morn- 
iui!"  lie  proposed  to  go  part  of  the  way  home  with  me, 
ju^t  for  company.  x\nd  before  he  left  me  he  gave 
me  twenty-five  dollars  in  money,  and  I  went  on  home 
liappy.  Soon  after  this  he  sent  my  mfe  a  cow  worth 
at  least  twenty  dollars.  So  1  made  more  than  I  lost, 
witli  compound  interest.  I  believe  that  A.  Y\.  Pat- 
tillow ^^'ould  have  died  for  me. 

If  1  had  preached  pouring  and  sprinkling  for  bap- 
tism, and  one  church  or  society  as  good  as  another, 
and  that  no  way  was  as  good  as  any,  I  should  no 
doubt  have  gotten  the  suit  of  clothes,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  disapprobation  of  my  blaster.  But  for 
being  faithful  I  Vv^as  amply  rewarded,  and  had  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience. 

Julv  31. — I  beo-an  a  meetino^  in  Durham  with  C. 
Durham,  pastor.  Preacli  day  and  night  for  ten  days. 
Some  professions  of  religion,  but  no  great  awakening. 
Siimers  hard  to  move. 

Aueust  14. — Brother  John,  mv  wife  and  I,  start 
to  the  mountains  of  Xorth  Carolina  to  look  us  out  a 
new  home.  Stopped  in  Asheville  with  Bro.  W.  S. 
Barnett.  I  carried  my  wife  out  to  old  Bro.  Thomas 
Stradley's,  five  miles  in  the  country,  where  she  spent 


ELDER   F.   M.    JORDAN. 


145 


the  time  pleasantly,  while  brother  and  I  looked  over 
the  country. 

I  recollect  my  brother  went  out  one  day  in  the 
direction  of  Mt.  Pisgah,  came  back  in  the  evening  and 
reported  liir^  investigations,  and  amused  Mr.  Bar- 
nett's  boarders  very  much.  Said  he  met  a  man  com- 
ing down  a  hill  barefooted,  making  the  fire  fly  from 
the  rocks  with  his  heels. 

Sunday. — Preached  in  the  Baptist  Church  in  Ashe- 
ville,  and  at  night. 

AiigiiHt  ■2'2. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Hendersonville 
witli  D.  B.  Xelson,  pastor.  Preached  day  and  night 
for  six  days. 

Thursday,  August  ol. — I  baptized  twelve  persons 
m  ^lud  Creek.  Four  of  Brother  N'elson's  children 
were  baptized.  Instead  of  looking  at  the  country, 
they  held  me  in  a  protracted  meeting.  Attended  the 
Salem  Association  at  Bent  Creek;  preached  Satur- 
day, and  in  Asheville  Sunday. 

Went  to  the  mountains  to  rest,  and  preached  nine- 
teen sermons  in  thirteen  days.  Returned  home  and 
sold  my  place  to  Ellmore  Faucett,  and  took  Bev. 
D.  B.  Xel son's  farm  on  the  French  Broad  River  in 
Henderson  County. 

September  10. — Begin  a  meeting  in  the  Baptist 
Church  in  Littleton,  with  Dr.  W.  T.  Walters,  pastor. 

Don't  think  I  have  ever  found  a  church  riper  for 
a  gracious  revival,  or  in  better  condition  for  gathering 

10 


146  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

in  the  sheaves.  The  pastor  and  the  church  seemed  to 
be  full  of  the  lEolj  Ghost.  At  one  service  every  sin- 
ner in  the  congregation  bowed  for  prayer,  save  one, 
and  a  time  of  great  rejoicing  among  God's  people. 
The  power  of  God  is  manifested  in  the  conviction  and 
conversion  of  sinners  at  almost  every  service.  I 
preach  day  and  night  for  ten  days. 

September  18. — A  large  congregation  gathered 
around  a  beautiful  pool,  prepared  by  Brother  Shaw, 
just  a  little  out  from  the  town,  where  it  was  my  pleas- 
ure to  l)ury  with  Christ  in  baptism  eighteen  lovely 
young  people — eleven  males,  and  seven  females.  This 
has  been  a  meeting  of  wonderful  displays  of  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  never  saw  Dr.  Walters 
so  happy,  nor  enjoy  a  meeting  so  much.  He  was 
my  teacher  nt  Wixke  Forest  College.  Monday  morn- 
ing I  baptized  Miss  Emma  lies,  who  said  she  could 
not  df-lay  to  obey  her  blessed  Savior.  The  bretliren 
and  sisters  followed  me  to  the  depot,  where  I  bade 
them  farewell.  TvTever  shall  T  forget  brethren  Shaw, 
Browning,  Bobbit,  and  the  good  people  of  Littleton. 

Quite  an  amusing  incident  occurred  during  the 
meeting.  Dr.  P.  lived  just  a  little  out  of  the  town, 
whoso  wife  was  a  member  of  the  church.  One  morn- 
ing T  went  over  to  see  them ;  he  was  a  great  sports- 
man :  had  fine  gims  and  fine  dogs  and  fishing  tackle. 
While  he  was  showing  me  all  these,  and  during  our 
conversation,  he  found  out  that  I  was  about  as  fond 
of  fishing  and   liunting  as  he  was,   which  perfectly 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN. 


14T 


delii^lited  him.  So  he  Avont  into  the  other  house 
where  his  wife  was,  and  said  to  her,  ''Wife,  I  told  you 
there  was  something  good  in  that  man ;  he  loves  guns 
and  dogs."  So  he  sent  ten  miles  and  got  me  a  fine 
pointer  puppy. 

From  Littleton  I  came  to  Oxford  in  company  with 
Bro.  J.  H.  Mills ;  said  he  did  not  mind  travelling 
A\'ith  a  man  if  he  would  not  wipe  on  both  ends  of  the 
towel.      Stopped  with  Bro.  F.  K.  Underwood,  pastor. 
Beo-an  a  meeting  with  him  in  Oxford  September  19th, 
which  proved  to  be  a  wonderful  revival  of  religion, 
and  a  great  ingathering  of  souls.     This  meeting  went 
on  witli  an  increasing  interest  for  two  weeks.  Prayer- 
meeting  every  morning,  and  preaching  day  and  night. 
The  meeting  was  exceedingly  spiritual.      The  prayer- 
meetings  were    unusually    interesting    all    the    way 
through.      It  was  charming  to  stand   at  the  church, 
and  see  the  people  coming  from  all  directions,  until 
the  house  would  be  well-nigh  filled.      I  generally  read 
the  Scriptures;  sometimes  on  the  way  to  church,  some 
one  would  say,  ''Don't  read  till  I  get  there."       I  find 
this    entry    in    my    diary:     Brother    Marsh's    little 
daughter  is  comforted  to-night;  a  time  of  great  rejoic- 
ing.     She  is  the  only  daughter,  and  only  child  of  Dr. 
K.  H.  Marsh,  who  has  been  President  of  the  Baptist 
State  Convention  for  a  number  of  years.     It  was  my 
pleasure  to  baptize  her. 

The  power   and  goodness   of   God   were  manifest 
todav  in  a  large  measure — ten  professions  of  faith  in 


148     '  LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF 

0]iii>^t,  iiiid  a  time  of  great  rejoicing  among  Cliris- 
tinne.  'Hi is  is  said  to  be  the  greatest  revival  ever 
kno^vn  in  Oxford.  Great  religious  interest  among  all 
donomiiiavions.  JNEore  than  forty  professions  up  to 
this  time. 

October  -1. — ]\[et  at  the  water  at  3  p.  m.,  and  in 
the  presence  of  a  large  congregation  I  baptized  nine- 
teen happy  converts.  A  Methodist  brotlier,  Hayes, 
and  wife,  were  teaching  a  female  school  in  Oxford  at 
this  time,  and  a  large  number  of  their  girls  made  a 
profession  of  religion,  but  being  under  Methodist 
influence  they  did  not  join  the  Baptist  Church.  Some 
of  the  children  of  the  Episcopalians,  also,  made  bright 
professions  of  the  Christian  religion.  I  never  failed 
to  teach  the  young  converts  their  duty  according  to 
the  Scriptures  to  follow  their  blessed  Saviour  in  the 
ordinancx^  of  baptism,  and  that  they  had  no  right  to 
come  to  tlie  Lord's  table  without  a  scriptural  baptism. 
And  I  generally  strung  my  fish  closer  than  any  Evan- 
gelist T  ever  saw,  or  heard  of.  I  attended  a  meeting 
of  two  weeks  in  Asheville,  conducted  by  Evangelist 
Pearson,  in  which  three  hundred  and  fifty-one  per- 
sons gave  him  their  hand,  confessing  Christ,  as  they 
call  it ;  and  he  never  said  one  word  on  the  beautiful 
and  significant  ordinances  of  the  ( ^hurch  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  l)nt  on  Friday  niglit  would  nrge  those  who 
};a(l  given  him  their  hand  to  go  Sunday  and  join  some 
cliurcli — Catholic,  Campbellite,  Episcopalian,  or  what 
not,  as  good  as  to  say  it  did  not  make  anv  dift'erence^ 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN.  149 

just  SO  tlioY  joined  something,  and  be  poured  or 
sprinkled,  or  innnersed,  or  neither,  as  one  way  was 
as  good  as  another,  or  no  way  as  good  as  any.  Never 
said  a  word  on  Christian  duty  as  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. And  not  one  hundred  out  of  three  hundred 
and  fifty-one  joined  all  the  churches  put  together,  and 
you  never  heard  of  them  any  more.  And  I  never  saw 
scarcely  a  tear  shed  or  any  sign  of  repentance  and 
sorrow  lor  sin  during  the  meeting.  He  was  unfaith- 
ful in  tliat  he  did  not  preach  the  whole  truth. 

In  the  meeting  in  Oxford  I  greatly  enjoyed  the 
presence  and  help  of  brethren  K.  H.  Marsh,  J.  A. 
Stradley,  F.  R.  Underwood  and  T.  B.  Kingsbury. 

On  Sunday,  the  8th  of  October,  I  preached  in 
Carthage,  and  on  Monday  baptized  Mrs.  Henry  Petty 
and  Afiss  Julia  A.  Fry.  On  the  12th,  Gov.  Vance 
and  Judge  Settle,  Democratic  and  Republican  candi- 
dates for  Governor,  spoke  in  Hillsboro.  Two  men 
were  never  more  evenly  matched  in  debate.  It  was 
the  most  interesting  discussion  T  ever  heard,  and 
before  the  largest  crowd  I  ever  saw  assembled  in  that 
staid  old  town.  Vance  had  the  advantage  over  Set- 
tle only  in  his  aptness  for  telling  stories  and  in 
repartee. 

On  the  17th  I  began  a  meeting  with  the  dear 
church  in  Winston  and  preached  day  and  night  till 
tiie  25th.  There  were  forty-nine  professions  and 
thirtv-seven  additions  to  the  church. 


150  LIFE   AND  LABOES   OF 

During  the  progress  of  the  meeting  the  city  was 
greatly  saddened  by  the  death  of  CoL  Joe  Mastin.  It 
was  my  privilege  to  preach  his  fnneral.  The  pro- 
CP:ssion  was  the  largest  I  ever  saw^,  save  in  Raleigh  at 
the  burial  of  Col.  Tucker.  Tie  was  a  fine  lawyer,  and 
a  great  friend  to  mo  and  to  the  Baptist  cause  in  Win- 
ston. 

On  the  27th  of  October  we  sold  at  public  auction 
(»ur  household  goods  and  fanning  utensils  prepara- 
tory to  moving  to  the  mountains.  This  was  my  first 
experience  at  the  auction  business.  There  was  one 
man  present  who  bid  on  almost  everything  that  was 
put  up,  and  never  began  with  a  bid  higher  than  five 
cents,  whether  the  thing  offered  for  sale  was  a  hoe  or 
a  horse.  The  second  day  of  November  was  busily 
spent  in  packing  our  trunks  and  boxes,  and  the  night 
of  that  day  was  the  last  we  spent  in  the  old  home 
where  all  of  our  children  were  born  save  two,  and 
where  for  twTuty  years  we  enjoyed  so  many  of  the 
blessings  of  God. 

The  next  day,  JSTovember  3rd,  was  one  of  the  sad- 
dest days  I  ever  spent.  Our  dear  neighbors  and 
friends  with  whom  we  had  lived  so  long  on  terms  of 
kindness  and  Christian  love,  and  who  had  been  so 
much  comfort  to  us  in  sickness  and  in  health,  called 
to  bid  us  goodbye.  Many  of  us  never  expected  to  see 
each  other  again  on  earth,  but  we  parted  with  a  good 
hope  of  meeting  in  the  glory  world. 

We  hauled  our  goods  to  the  depot,  and  the  family 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  151 

scattered  over  the  neighborhood  to  spend  a  day  or  two 
before  onr  departure.  My  brother  and  I  remained 
till  after  No\^ember  Ttli,  in  order  to  vote  for  Vance 
for  Governor  and  Tilden  for  President.  •  Most  of  the 
children  of  the  two  families  and  brother  John  went 
with  the  wagons  through  the  country,  a  distance  of 
nearly  three  hundred  miles,  while  I  with  the  women 
and  younger  children,  went  on  the  cars.  If  the  inci- 
dents of  til  at  wagon  trip,  as  told  by  my  brother  and 
my  son  Sam,  could  have  been  printed  they  would  have 
made  an  interesting  book.  My  brother  and  I  never 
regretted  that  our  last  act  before  leaving  Orange 
County  was  that  of  voting  for  Vance,  for  while  the 
moral  influence  of  Vance  was  far  from  what  it  should 
have  been,  lie  loved  N^orth  Carolina,  was  an  honest 
man  and  a  patriot  of  the  old  school. 

My  dear  niece.  Miss  Sue  Stroud,  died  of  consump- 
tion in  Hillsboro,  the  3rd  of  December,  in  her  26th 
^ear.  T  baptized  her,  and  always  loved  her  as  one 
of  my  own  children.  She  died  a  remarkably  happy 
and  triumphant  death. 

On  the  10th  of  December  I  began  a  meeting  in 
Asheville,  with  Brother  Mitchell,  which  continued 
for  three  weeks,  notwithstanding  the  cold  weather, 
rain  and  snow.  One  night,  during  the  meeting,  my 
brethren  thought  1  preached  the  most  powerful  ser- 
mon of  my  life,  on  the  general  judgment.  Mr. 
Brond  was  convicted,  and  three  young  ladies  con- 
Terted.      Sunday  Mr.  Brond  accepted  Christ,  and  he 


152  LIFE   AXI)   LABORS   OF 

and  his  wife  rejoiced  together.  The  venerable 
Tliomas  Stradlev  was  present.  The  church  gave  him 
tlieir  hand  as  a  token  of  their  love  and  gratitude  to 
him,  for  labor  and  sacrifices  in  erecting  this  house 
for  God.      It  was  a  melting  time. 

The  snow  is  twelve  inches  deep,  but  good  meeting 
to-night,  notwithstanding  the  weather. 

Christmas  day. — Good  congregations,  and  good 
li leetings  despite  the  cold  and  snow. 

December  31. — I  preached  the  ordination  sermon 
of  Bro.  John  K.  Connally.  Ordination  prayer  by 
Elder  John  Ammons  ;  charge  by  Elder  John  Mitchell ; 
]»resentation  of  Bible  by  Elder  Ammons.  Delivered 
my  farewell  address  to  the  church  and  people  to-night- 
Have  been  here  three  weeks.  The  weather  has  been 
unusually  cold,  and  yet  the  meetings  have  been  well 
attended.  Twenty  persons  have  made  a  profession  of 
religion,  and  we  believe  the  effects  of  this  meeting 
for  good,  will  be  felt  in  time,  and  throughout  great 
eternity.  Bro.  Orin  Smith,  Brother  Bunn,  and 
<.tbf'rs  who  were  converted  in  that  meeting,  and  in 
that  cold  weather,  are  doubtless  now  in  heaven.  This 
closes  the  labors  of  1876 ;  four  hundred  converts  this 
year.  One  of  the  most  arduous  year's  labor  of  mj 
life,  having  travelled  and  preached  from  Elizabeth 
City  to  Asheville. 

1877. — The  snow  is  tw^enty-seven  inches  deep. 
The  French  Broad  River  is  frozen  over — ice  eight 
inches  thick.      The  old  people  say  this  is  the  coldest 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  153 

weather  for  tAveiity  years.  The  snow-capped  moun- 
tains ai-e  beautiful,  towerinii"  toward  the  home  of  the 
wliite-robed  throng  in  heaven. 

A  bear  walked  through  our  yard  last  night. 

January  IT. — Begin  a  meeting  in  Salisbury.  There 
are  only  a  handful  of  Baptists  in  Salisbury,  and  they 
have  no  house  of  worship.  Elder  William  Lambeth 
and  wife.  Sister  Sauciman  and  Sister  Whitehead, 
and  perhaps  a  feAv  others  had  stood  iinii  here  in  Sal- 
isbury for  many  years,  hoping  and  praying  for  a  good 
strong  Baptist  Church,and  regular  Baptist  preaching. 
Oh,  Lord  revive  Thy  work,  and  bless  Salisbury  with 
a  great  work  of  grace,  and  if  consistent  with  thy  holy 
will,  build  up  a  strong  Baptist  Church  in  Salisbury. 
Bro.  J.  B.  Boone  commenced  preaching  in  Statesville 
and  Salisbury  in  1875,  under  the  appointment  of  the 
State  llission  Board.  We  began  this  meeting  in 
Meroney  Hall,  and  it  was  estimated  to  hold  fifteen 
hundred  people.  The  presence  and  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  was  manifest  in  the  very  outset,  blessing 
and  strengthening  Christians,  and  convicting  and  con^ 
verting  sinners. 

The  hall  is  crowded  to  overflowing  every  night. 
There  is  a  great  awakening  in  Salisbury. 

Brother  Boone  left  this  evening  for  ^Northampton, 
to  marry  Miss  Sarah  Maddrey.  More  than  one 
hundred  extra  seats  have  been  provided  during  the 
day.  Brethren  T.  Whitfield,  W.  E.  Gwaltney  and 
S.   F.   Conrad  come  to-day.     Little  Lena  Meronej 


154  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

made  a  profession  of  religion  at  home  to-day,  of  whom 
we  shall  have  more  to  say  further  on.  The  waters  of 
grace  are  stirred — thirteen  professions  of  religion  up 
to  this  time.  Eleven  received  for  baptism.  Breth- 
ren Whitfield,  Gwaltney,  Conrad,  E.  Erost  and  W.  B. 
Clement  present  to-night. 

A  consultation  is  held  relative  to  organizing  a  Bap- 
.tist  Church  in  Salisbury.  The  council  is  composed  of 
the  following  brethren  :  T.  Whitfield,  J.  B.  Boone, 
W.  R.  Gwaltney,  Wm.  Lambeth  and  F.  M.  Jordan. 
I'he  remaining  members  of  the  church,  organized  in 
1852,  agi'ee  to  go  into  a  new  organization.  Three 
received  for  baptism. 

Sunday,  Febiiiary  4. — Preached  on  the  mode,  sub- 
jects, and  design  of  baptism.  At  3  p.  m.  a  large  con- 
gregation assembled  at  the  water  near  town,  where  I 
baptized  twelve  happy  believers. 

February  5. — Met  at  10  a.  m.  to  organize  a  Baptist 
Church.  Elders  T.  Whitfield,  W.  R  Gwaltney,  Wm. 
Fambeth,  and  F.  M.  Jordan  fonned  a  presbytery,  and 
organized  a  Baptist  Church  of  nineteen  members, 
called  the  Baptist  Church  of  Salisbuiw.  There  is 
great  religious  excitement  in  Salisbury,  many  search- 
ing for  the  truth. 

Had  to  give  up  .Meroney  Hall,  and  move  the  meet- 
ing to  McNeely  Hall.  It  w^as  rumored  that  the  hall 
was  giving  way  on  account  of  the  vast  crowds  of  peo- 
ple which  assembled  there,  and  that  it  Avas  dangerous 
flnd  misafe  to  go  there.     Brother  Boone  and  I  were 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  155 

both  of  the  opinion  that  the  rumor  was  malicious,  and 
circulated  for  the  purpose  of  breaking  up  the  meet- 
ing; our  opinions  have  never  changed.  The  interest 
began  to  wane,  and  we  decided  to  close  the  meeting. 
Had  the  meeting  gone  on  in  Meroney  Hall  the  Lord 
only  knows  what  the  result  would  have  been. 

Judge  John  Kerr  was  there  one  night  diu'ing  the 
meeting,  and  I  shall  never  forget  how  he  talked,  and 
prayed,  and  cried,  and  enjoyed  the  meeting. 

The  newly  organized  church  called  Elder  J.  B. 
Boone  for  their  pastor. 

The  Baptist  cause  of  truth  and  righteousness  in 
Salisbury  have  been  gi-owing  in  power  and  influence 
from  that  day  to  this.  ±^o\y  they  have  a  good  meet- 
ing-house, a  good  parsonage,  with  a  settled  pastor. 
Dr.  Whitehead,  Senior,  was  as  perfect  a  gen- 
tleman as  I  ever  met,  and  his  sainted  mfe  was  a  firm, 
polid,  pious,  devoted,  consecrated.  Christian,  Baptist 
woman.  I  am  glad  that  she  lived  to  see  the  longings 
of  her  soul  gratified — a  good  Baptist  Church  in  Sal- 
isbury and  regular  Baptist  preaching,  and  both  her 
eons  fine  physicians  and  prominent  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church. 

The  name  of  Sister  Sauciman  is  worthy  to  be  pre- 
fterved  and  handed  down  to  the  last  generation,  as  one 
of  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  solid  as  the  everlasting 
liills.  The  names  of  the  good  women  of  Paul's  day 
have  been  preserved  for  more  than  eighteen  hundred 


15rt  LIFE  AND  "LABORS   OF 

years;  why  not  the  names  of  the  good  women  of  the 
nineteenth  centnrv  { 

The  t'olhwing  letter  from  Elder  .1.  P>.  Boone  will 
c(tin(^  in  very  timely  jnst  here: 

TiioMAsviLLE.  X.  (\.  Fcl).  19,  1898. 
Rkv.  F.  A[.  Joedax. 

l)i(iv  Brother: — In  compliance  with  your  request, 
]  have  looked  u])  memoranda  and  find  that  you  came 
1o  Statesville  to  assist  me  in  a  meeting  the  25th  of 
^March,  1870  ;  preached  your  iirst  sennon  in  the  courts 
house  from  Ixev.  8:15 — IS,  and  that  you  continued 
the  meeting  till  April  7th,  at  which  time  fourteen 
persons  were  haptized.  In  the  number  was  A.  T. 
IJolvertson,  also  a  brother  and  two  sisters.  The 
audiences  were  large  from  the  l)eginning  to  the  close 
of  the  meeting,  and  at  the  baptism  there  was  an 
iiiimense  crowd.  On  the  16th  of  April  two  others 
were  baptized.  1  also  remend>er,  in  connection  with 
that  meeting,  that  you  preached  a  sermon  on  baptism 
and  the  daughter  of  Air.  ( 'harles  Sumner  was  w^onder- 
fully  affected  by  it.  TIk^  point  that  was  so  fixed  on 
her  mind  was,  that  everybody  ought  to  be  baptized. 
Tier  parents  objected  and  insisted  that  their  pastor, 
Dr.  Wood,  should  visit  her  and  preach  on  the  subject 
of  baptism,  to  convince  her.  She  was  never  allowed 
to  join  the  Baptist  Church,  but  as  far  as  I  have  ever 
been  able  to  learn,  she  forever  carried  the  impression 
that  everybody  ought  to  be  baptized,  that  is,  that  all 
believers  should  be  immersed.  I  also  find  that  yon 
came  to  my  assistance  in  a  meeting  at  Salisbury  on 
January-  21,  1S77,  and  continued  with  me  imtil  Feb- 
ruary 4th.  The  meeting  was  commenced  in  the 
Meroney  Rail,  and  the  crowds  commenced  to  gather 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  157 

and  to  increase  from  the  beginning  until  the  hall  was 
densely  packed.  It  was  estimated  to  hold  not  less 
than  fifteen  hundred  people. 

During  the  meeting  the  rumor  was  set  afloat  that 
the  hall  had  given  way,  and  was  dangerous  for  such 
crowds.  I  believed  then,  and  have  never  had  occa- 
sion to  change  my  opinion,  that  the  rumor  was  put 
afloat  maliciously  to  break  up  the  meeting. 

While  that  state  of  things  was  pending  the  owners 
cf  the  MclSTeely  Hall  very  generously  tendered  us  the 
use  of  it,  in  which  the  meeting  continued  to  its  close. 
On  the  4th  of  February,  there  were  twelve  persons 
baptized.      You  did  the  baptizing. 

During  tliat  meeting,  on  the  30th  of  January,  it 
became  necessary  for  me  to  leave  you  and  be  absent 
three  days,  to  get  married.  On  the  27th  of  May  you 
returned  and  preached  luitil  the  3rd  of  June,  on 
whicli  day  there  were  eight  persons  baptized,  among 
them  Lena  Merouey.  These  meetings  were  really 
the  beginning  of  the  new  interest  in  Salisbury,  which 
has  resulted  in  the  present  church.  While  we  had 
an  organized  ohi^rch  before  you  came,  the  member- 
ship was  feeble,  and  most  of  them  poor.  I  com- 
menced preaching  in  Salisbury  N^ovember  23,  1875. 
Yours  sincerely,  J.  B.  Boone. 

The  case  of  little  Lena  Meroney  was  a  very  remark- 
able one.  She  made  a  profession  of  religion  at  home 
during  the  meetino-  in  March,  in  her  12th  vear.  She 
was  exceedingly  anxious  to  be  baptized.  Her  mother 
and  people  were  Methodists,  and  sternly  opposed  her 
joining  the  Baptist  Church,  and  being  baptized.  Her 
mother  finally  told  her  that  if  she  would  wait  three 


158  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 

months,  and  read  and  consider  the  matter,  and  then 
was  not  satisfied,  she  would  give  her  consent  for  her 
to  he  baptized,  believing  no  doubt,  that  during  these 
three  months  she  and  the  Methodist  preachers  could 
remove  all  these  foolish  notions,  and  get  her  into  the 
]^^ethodist  Society.  So  Lena  consented  to  the  propo- 
sition, though  she  said  it  was  a  long  time  to  wait. 
During  these  tliree  months  not  a  stone  was  left 
i/ntumed  to  change  her  mind.  In  the  meantime  the 
Conference  met  in  Salisburv,  and  the  preachers  used 
evorv  argument  at  their  command  to  convince  her 
that  pouring  and  sprinkling  were  just  as  good  and 
valid  as  immersion,  and  that  she  ought  to  go  to  the 
Metliodist  Church  with  her  mother  and  people.  But 
she  was  smart  and  well  posted  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
would  quote  to  them  Rom.  6:4;  Col.  2:12;  Acts  8 
and  16;  Gal.  3:  27;  and  tell  them  that  buiying  did 
not  mean  pouring  and  sprinkling,  and  that  believers 
A\'ere  the  only  Scriptural  subjects  of  baptism.  So 
she  stood  firm. 

Ft  was  so  ordered  that  just  about  the  time  the  three 
months  were  out,  I  landed  in  Salisbury.  She 
reminded  her  mother  of  her  promise,  and  now  she 
was  ready  to  follow^  her  Lord  and  Master.  So  she 
Avas  received  for  baptism,  and  at  5  p.  m.,  the  first 
Sunday  in  June,  in  the  presence  of  more  than  1,000 
people,  J  buried  her  v^-\th.  her  blessed  Savior  in  bap- 
tism. She  was  perfectly  calm  and  composed,  and 
with  a  heavenly  smile  surv^eyed  the  gazing  crowd.      I 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN.  15§ 

heard  somebody  in  the  vast  congregation  say,  ''God 
bless  the  child."  Seven  others  were  baptized  with 
her. 

These  meetings  and  baptisms  made  a  wonderful 
impression  upon  the  people  of  Salisbury. 

There  was  a  young  man  from  the  country  who 
attended  this  great  meeting  in  January,  who  had 
been  brought  up  under  the  Lutheran  persuasion,  a 
form  of  godliness  without  its  power.  He  was  won- 
derfully impressed  with  the  spirit  and  soul  of  the 
meeting,  and  said  to  a  friend  of  his,  ^'I  think  we  had 
better  gear  up  our  teams,  and  go  somewhere  once  a 
year,  where  we  can  hear  a  good  gospel  sermon." 

Sunday,  March.  4. — Preached  in  the  Baptist 
church  in  Asheville.  At  3  p.  m.  Brother  Mitchell 
baptized  eight,  as  the  fruit  of  our  meeting  in  Decem- 
ber. 

MarcJi  11. — Begin  a  meeting  in  Shelby,  with  A.  L. 
Slough,  pastor.  This  meeting  continued  day  and 
night  for  two  weeks — a  meeting  of  great  spiritual 
powder.  Two  sisters,  Germans,  and  one  Catholic,  are 
numbered  with  the  converts.  They  are  positively 
forbidden  to  join  the  Baptist  Church.  At  the  close 
of  the  meeting  T  baptized  fifteen  persons — ten  yoimg 
ladies  and  five  young  men.  Thirty-five  professions 
during  the  meeting. 

April  8. — Begin  a  meeting  with  Elder  Thoma.s 
Stradley  at  Berea,   in  Bimcombe  County.     Preach 


160  LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF 

day  and  night  for  eight  days.      On  Sunday  Brother 
Stradley  baptized  thirteen  happy  converts. 

On  the  22nd  of  April,  I  began  a  meeting  in  Char- 
lotte with  Dr.  Whitfield.  ITold  a  prayer-meeting 
every  day  and  preach  every  night  for  three  weeks. 
The  Lord  only  knows  w^hat  the  harvest  will  be  from 
the  seed  so^vn. 

Jnne  12. — Attend  Commencement  at  Wake  For- 
est College.  Dr.  H.  A.  Tupper,  of  Kichmond,  Va., 
preached  the  Annual  Sermon.  Hon.  D.  G.  Fowle 
delivered  the  address.  The  address  before  the 
Alumni  Avas  delivered  by  Dr.  J.  D.  Hufham.  Six 
graduates. 

The  22nd  of  July  I  began  a  meeting  in  Euther- 
fordton  with  Pastor  C.  B.  Justice.  The  meeting  is 
continued  with  spirit  and  power  for  eleven  days  and 
nights.  Preach  tAventy-one  times,  and  baptize  six 
liappy  believers.  Fourteen  professions  and  twelve 
additions  to  the  church.  Bro.  C.  B.  Justice  is  an 
exceedingly  lovely  man,  and  wise,  successful  pastor. 

August  4. — I  began  a  meeting  at  old  French 
Broad,  our  home  church.  On  the  12th,  I  baptized 
eight  persons,  among  the  number  our  two  sons, 
James  F.  and  John  Y.  Jordan.  What  a  pleasure  to 
welcome  our  children  into  the  church  militant;  may 
they  all  be  welcomed  into  the  church  triumphant. 

On  the  19th  of  August  I  began  a  n|ieeting  Avith 
Elder  N.  Bowen,  at  Enon.  The  presence  and  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  demonstrated  at  every  service 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  161 

for  nine  days,  iit  the  close  Brother  Bowen  bap- 
tized eighteen  persons — ten  young  men  and  eight 
yonng  ladies. 

The  Salem  Association  met  at  Gashe's  Creek, 
Angaist  30th.  Introductory  Sermon  by  Elder  John 
K.  Connally.  D.  B.  Xelson  elected  Moderator,  and 
C.  M.  Williams   Clerk. 

This  is  a  spirited  and  harmonious  session  of  the 
Association.  We  have  witli  us  Dr.  T.  E.  Skinner, 
Drs.  G.  W.  and  :N^.  A.  Purefoy,  Elder  H.  A.  Brown,of 
Fayetteville,  and  John  E.  Ray,  Jolin  Ammons,  John 
Mitchell.  Sunday  Elder  John  Amnions  preached  at 
10  a.  m.,  and  at  11  a.  m.  Dr.  John  Mit<3hell  preached 
the  Missionary  Sei*mon.  Collection  seventeen  dol- 
lars.     I  preached  at  2  p.  m. 

Thus  closed  one  of  the  most  interesting  sessions 
of  the  Salem  Association.  Decided  to  remain  and 
protract  the  meeting.  The  meeting  continued  a 
Aveek.  At  the  close  I  baptized  three  ladies  in  the 
Swannanoa  Biver. 

September  9. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Brevard,. 
which  continued  eight  days.  At  the  close  I  bap- 
tized nine  at  Brother  Brooks's,  in  the  French  Broad 
Biver.  During  the  meeting  sixteen  additions  by 
experience,  and  four  by  letter. 

The  Western  Convention  met  at  Big  Ivey,  in  Bun- 
combe County,  September  20th.  Elder  John 
Ammons  is  chosen  Moderator  and  C.  M.  Williams 

11 


162  LIFE  AND  LABOKS   OF 

Secretary.  Elder  E.  H.  Griffith,  of  Charlotte,  made 
a  good  speech  in  behalf  of  the  Theological  Seminary 
located  at  Louisville,  Kv.  Elder  J.  B.  Hartwell, 
returned  missionary  to  China,  preached  a  good  ser- 
mon Saturday. 

Sim  day  a  very  large  congregation  gathered  at  the 
stand.  Elder  R.  H.  Griffith  preached  at  10  a.  m. ; 
J.  B.  TTartwell  preached  the  Missionary  Sermon  at 
11  a.  m.  Collection  seventy-five  dollars.  The 
Avrit-er  preached  at  2  p.  m.  Decide  to  stay  and  pro- 
tract the  meeting.  The  church  is  in  a  cold,  lifeless 
state,  covetous  and  worldly-minded.  Fear  some  of 
the  members  are  unconverted.  Some  of  them  so 
express  themselves.  Bro.  Leroy  Sams  is,  and  has 
been,  their  pastor  for  many  years.  Dine  with 
Brother  Ilurst.  Sister  Hurst  is  a  daughter  of  Elder 
Humphi'ey  Posey.  Preach  day  and  night,  and  hope 
it  will  have  a  savory  effect ;  if  I  can  only  keep  the  peo- 
ple from  shouting  until  their  is  something  to  shout 
about.  Brother  Sams  will  get  up  and  tell  them  how 
long  he  has  been  with  them,  and  that  he  has  married 
and  baptized  them,  and  preached  the  fimeral  of  those 
who  had  died,  and  soon  put  a  whole  lot  of  them  to 
shouting,  and  have  everything  in  confusion.  I 
believe  in  shouting  when  the  feeling  is  brought  on  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  people  can't  help  it,  but  a  forced 
shout  has  a  very  chilling  effect.  So  it  took  me  about 
three  days  to  get  on  the  breaks,  and  get  things  regu- 
lated ;  and  I  soon  had  a  lot  of  the  members  mourners, 


ELDER  F.  M.   JOKDA]^.  163 

and  coming  forward  for  prayer.  Bro.  John  Amnions 
said  he  met  a  fellow  one  night  after  service,  and 
asked  him  what  he  thought  of  the  preacher.  ^'Why, 
he's  the  quarest  man  I  ever  seed;  he  won't  let  the 
people  shout." 

Preached  nineteen  sermons ;  some  thirteen  profes- 
sions. I  believe  this  meeting  has  been,  and  will  be, 
a  great  blessing  to  the  people  of  Big  Ivej.  My  home 
was  with  Bro.  Zimri  Carter,  and  the  creek  was  full 
of  fish;  so  of  mornings  and  evenings  I  would  take 
some  recreation  catching  them.  I  caught  thirty-two 
fine  fish,  and  Miss  Maggie  fried  them  for  me,  and 
we  had  a  good  time.  As  fish  is  good  brain  food,  I 
thought  I  could  preach  better  after  eating  a  good 
mess  of  fish.  My  mind  seemed  to  be  clear,  and  I 
would  have  great  liberty. 

The  13th  of  October,  began  a  meeting  at  Catawba 
Station.  Stop  with  Bro.  J.  H.  Trollinger.  Here  I 
was  pastor  of  Providence  Church  in  1869  and  1870. 
Brethren  and  sisters  glad  to  see  me,  many  of  whom 
I  baptized,  l^ine  received  for  baptism.  I  baptized 
four  lovely  young  people  in  the  Catawba  River. 

October  24. — I  begin  a  meeting  in  Kinston,  Lenoir 
County,  with  Elder  J.  K.  Howell,  pastor.  Stop  with 
Brother  Cox,  where  I  have  a  comfortable  room. 

T)r.  P.  H.  Lewis,  who  for  three  years  had  charge 
of  Mills  River  Academy,  in  Henderson  County,  is 
living  here,  in  charge  of  a  fine  school. 

Kinstx)n  is  a  hard  place.     There  is  so  much  igno- 


164-  LIFE  AND   LABORS   OF 

rance  of  the  Bible,  and  so  much  heresy,  that  it  is  a 
hard  matter  for  the  truth  to  take  effect.  The 
churches  are  so  loose  in  discipline  that  tlie  world  has 
no  confidence  in  them.  The  Pedopabtist  churches 
hero  are  cold  and  lifeless.  Their  object  is  to  get  the 
people  to  j(viu  the  cliurcli  regardless  of  conversion, 
and  t\w\  have  more  world  than  church.  This  seems 
to  he  an  almost  godless  and  Godforsaken  people,  the 
hardest  T  have  found  in  all  my  travels.  Corrupters 
and  scoffers  are  too  much  countenanced  by  church 
peojde,  who  it  is  to  l>e  feared  are  in  the  bonds  of 
iniquity. 

Pass  a  restless  and  almost  sleepless  night.  Sin- 
ners seem  determined  to  go  to  hell.  May  the  Lord 
have  mercy  Tipon  the  town  of  Kinston. 

Doubtless  iiere  are  many  foolish  virgins,  who  mil 
meet  the  bridegroom  without  oil  and  light — a  fonn 
of  godliness  without  its  power.  The  Campbellites 
teach  that  remission  of  sin  is  obtained  in  the  act  of 
baptism.  So  their  great  object  is  to  get  people  to 
consent  to  be  baptized.  Old  Brother  Deacon  Loftin 
told  me  that  he  heard  one  of  this  persuasion  preach 
in  thai  country.  There  was  a  man  in  the  congrega- 
tion wliom  he  was  very  anxious  to  baptize,  so  he 
walked  down  the  aisle,  hdd  out  his  hand  and  asked 
him  to  let  him  baptize  him.  The  man  says,  '^I  am 
not  fit  to  be  baptized."  The  preacher  says,  ^'Why 
not?"     "Oh,"  he  says,   "1  cuss."     "Oh,  well,"  the 


ELDER  F.    M.    JOKDAN.  165 

preacher  says,  "Come  alons:  and  bo  baptized,  and 
quit  your  cursing." 

The  cliui'c]]  seemed  to  enjoy  the  meeting  very 
mucli,  l)ut  no  sinners  would  acknowledge  that  they 
had  any  desire  to  go  to  heaven.  These  are  hard  sin- 
ners. I  was  informed  here  that  a  number  of  the 
men  of  Kinston  fonned  a  leasrue  that  they  would  vote 
for  no  man  for  a  to^ATi  officer  who  was  a  church  mem- 
ber. 

Preach  my  sixteenth  and  last  sermon.  Eight  pro- 
fessions of  religion.  Good  meeting  for  the  church 
and  cause. 

The  Baptist  State  Convention  met  in  Durham, 
ISTovember  7th.  The  Convention  is  organized  by 
the  election  of  Judge  John  Kerr  President;  Elder 
J.  13.  Hufliam  Secretary,  and  Capt.  Wm.  Biggs 
Assistant  Secretary.  The  Introductory  Sermon  is 
preached  at  night  by  Elder  F.  H.  Ivey,  of  Goldsboro. 

Elder  J.  D.  Hufham  offered  a  resolution  in  favor 
of  the  church  at  Statesville,  and  four  hundred  dol- 
lars is  raised  to  finish  the  house  of  worship  there. 
Brother  Boone  is  happy. 

The  Missionary  Sermon  is  preached  on  Sunday  by 
Dr.  W.  ^I.  Wingate.  This  has  been  the  best  meet- 
ing of  the  Convention  I  ever  attended.  My  home  is 
with  Pressley  Mangum. 

On  the  12th  of  Xox^mber  I  be^'an  a  meeting:  in 
Henderson.  My  home  is  with  Brother  Lassiter. 
Fine  prospect  of  a  good  meeting.     Mrs.  Meadows, 


166  LIFE  AIS^D  LABORS    OF 

wife  of  Dr.  Meadows,  made  a  bright  profession  of 
faith  in  Christ;  she  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Cliurch.  The  religions  interest  is  pervading  the 
to^\^^.  Large  congregations  at  every  service.  Rev. 
^Ir.  Pettigrew  came  into,  and  engaged  heartily  in 
the  meeting.  The  first  Episcopal  minister  I  ever 
knew  to  come  into  a  Baptist  meeting. 

Prayer-meetings  exceedingly  precious.  Old  diffi- 
cnlties  settled,  and  a  time  of  great  rejoicing  among 
God's  people.  Ten  professions  of  religion  at  one  ser- 
vice— a  meeting  of  great  power — don't  think  I  ever 
saw  it  snrj)assed. 

I^ovember  29. — I  buried  eleven  happy  sonls  with 
Christ  in  baptism,  in  Brother  Lassiter's  pond — 
beautiful  place.  Sister  Meadows,  the  Episcopal  sisr 
ter,  one  of  the  number. 

There  were  forty-five  professions  of  religion  dur- 
ing the  meeting,  a  large  portion  of  whom  were  under 
Pedobaptist  influence.  This  was  the  reason  so  few 
joined  the  Baptist  Church.  Toward  the  close  of  the 
meeting  I  read  the  6th  chapter  of  Romans.  Some 
of  the  Pedos  said  it  was  unfair  and^  out  of  place  to 
read  such  passages  of  Scripture  at  the  close  of  a  meeir 
ing  in  which  the  different  denominations  had 
engaged  so  heartily,  and  had  such  a  good  time.  That 
word  bury  has  given  them  a  good  deal  of  trouble  dur- 
ing the  last  eighteen  hundred  years,  or  rather  fifteen 
hundred.      They  are  afraid  of  its  influence. 

Preached  my  last  sermon  to  a  crowded  house,  and 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  167 

bade  the  brethr,en,  sisters,  young  converts,  and 
friends  farewell.     A  meltinc^  time. 

Leave  Henderson  for  Wilmington.  Stop  with 
Dr.  J.  7B.  Taylor,  and  rest  qnietly  in  his  office  all 
day.  Have  preached  fifty-eight  sermons  since  I 
left  home  the  5th  -of  October.  December  2nd  we 
begin  a  meeting  with  Dr.  James  B.  Taylor  in  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  Wilmington. 

The  church  is  in  fine  spiritual  condition,  and  the 
pastor  is  full  of  the  Spirit,  and  of  faith.  The  con- 
gregations are  large  and  attentive.  The  meeting 
goes  on  day  and  night,  increasing  in  interest  at  every 
service.  At  the  close  of  the  first  week  there  are  nine 
professions  of  religion,  the  church  is  greatly  revived, 
and  in  good  working  order.  Conversions  at  nearly 
every  service. 

Sunday,  December  16. — Dr.  Taylor  baptized  nine- 
teen happy  believers,  most  of  them  lovely  young  peo- 
ple. It  was  a  beautiful  scene.  When  I  went  to 
Wilmington,  the  largest  city  in  the  State,  and  the 
finest  meeting-house,  and  Dr.  J.  B.  Taylor  for  their 
pastor,  T  expected  to  find  things  rather  stiff  and 
starchy,  but  I  never  was  more  agreeably  disap- 
pointed. The  church  was  in  the  Spirit,  and  in  a 
very  tender  state  of  feeling.  After  I  would  preach 
and  invite  penitents.  Brother  Taylor  and  the  breth- 
ren and  sisters  would  get  up  and  move  gently  along 
down  the  aisles,  and  ^peak  to  this  one,  and  that  one, 
and  invite  them  to  come  forward  for  prayer,  until 


Ifj8  T.IFE    AND   LABORS    OF 

every  front  seat  in  the  church  was  filled  with  peni- 
tents. And  relying  upon  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  had 
those  good  old-fashioned,  pungent  convictions  for  sin, 
and  then  bright,  happy  experiences  of  gi^ace.  ^N'ot 
still-born,  but  quickened  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
brought  to  life.      This  truly  was  a  glorious  meeting. 

Tn  those  days  I  was  regarded  as  a  pretty  good 
singer,  and  sang  through  nearly  all  the  meetings  I 
ever  conducted.  This  has  been  of  great  advantage 
to  me  in  all  my  labors.  If  there  were  not  others  to 
sing  T  would  sing  myself.  I  can  beat  tiiat  singing 
we  had  in  Wilmington  last  May,  now,  and  not  half 
t^\^  Lord,  how  I  did  want  to  sing!  I  thought  the 
fidgets  would  well-nigh  kill  me.  But  then  the 
thought  would  press  itself  upon  me:  ^^Bro'r  rabbit, 
tha'll  never  do  in  the  world  for  you  to  break  out  to 
singing  right  here  in  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion, in  the  First  Baptist  Church,  in  the  City  of  Wil- 
mington ;  and  then  old  sin  coon  sitting  right  up  there, 
doing  her  level  best  singing  at  the  same  time.  'No, 
sir;  that  won't  do."  And  there  was  the  President 
with  a  gavel  in  hand,  and  all  them  big  preachers,  and 
hard  by  stood  the  Armory,  the  jail  and  calaboose. 
So  old  bro'r  rabbit,  he  lay  low,  he  did. 

My  home  during  this  meeting  was  with  Dr.  Tay- 
lor. Don't  think  I  ever  spent  two  weeks  more  pleas- 
antly in  all  my  life.  Ever^^thing  was  agreeable  and 
delightful.  Brother  and  Sister  Taylor  did  not  leave 
a  stone  unturned  for  my  comfort  and  happiness. 


CHAPTEE  X. 


Lagrano:e —  Drunken  Deacons —  Selma —  Beaufort —  A  Camp 
Hunt — Wilson — J.  D.  Hufham— Judge  Kerr — Incidents— 
Commencement  at  Wake  Forest— Refuge  — Salem— Mocks- 
ville — Another  Camp  Hunt  and  a  Cat  Fight— Goldsboro— 
Salisbury— 1879. 

I^AGRAIS^GE. 

On  Simdav,  the  2Ttli  of  January,  1878,  I  began  a 
meeting  in  Lagrange  with  Elder  J.  K.  Howell,  who 
was  then  living  in  Kinston,  and  I  think,  at  that  time, 
pastor  at  Lagrange.  Here  I  found  the  state  of 
piety  aiid  vital  godliness  at  a  low  ebb.  There  were 
great  stimibling-blocks  in  the  way  of  the  peace  and 
prosperity  of  the  church.  I  preached  day  and  night 
for  eight  days,  with  a  prayer-meeting  every  morning. 
By  this  time  I  saw  the  trouble,  and  what  was  abso^ 
lutely  necessary  to  be  done.  Both  the  deacons  were 
drunkai'ds ;  one  of  them  had  been  a  drunkard  for 
about  sixteen  years,  a  great  big,  rich  old  fellow,  and 
the  pastor,  and  everybody  else,  was  afraid  to  tackle 
him.  And  when  you  would  say  anything  to  a  sinner 
about  seeking  salvation  he  w^ould  point  you  to  one  of 
these  drunken  deacons,  or  some  one  else,  for  drinking 
and  drunkenness  were  the  bane  of  the  place.  So  on 
Sunday  I  announced  publicly  that  Monday  morning, 
instead  of  having  a  prayer-meeting,  we  would  have  a 
church  meeting  and  turn  out  these  drunken  deacons, 
and  then  I  thought  we  might  do  some  good ;   that 


170  LIFE  AND  LABORS    OF 

\dtli  the  present  state  of  things,  I  might  stay  there 
till  doomsday,  and  wear  out  my  lungs  for  nothing. 
So  Monday  morning  the  church  met  and  organized 
for  business,  with  Bro.  J.  K.  Howell  in  the  chair. 
I  had  to  present  the  cases  myself,  for  nobody  else  had 
the  irioral  courage  to  do  it.  Brother  Wooten  was 
there  with  Bible  in  hand  for  self-defense,  and  not  in 
a  very  good  humor.  I  made  a  plain  statement  of  the 
case  just  as  it  was,  and  told  the  church  and  Brother 
Wooten  what  a  A^ast  amount  of  mischief  both  had 
done;  Brother  Wooten  for  drunkenness,  and  the 
church  for  allowing  it,  and  that  Brother  Wooten 
would  have  to  go  out  of  the  church,  and  stay  out  at 
least  two  years,  and  keep  sober  all  the  time  before  the 
people  would  have  any  confidence  in  him.  So  I  got 
a  motion  and  second  to  withdraAV  fellowship  from 
him,  which  was  carried:  Whereupon  Brother  W. 
gathered  his  hat,  started  out,  and  called  for  a  letter 
for  his  w^ife.  I  told  the  church  that  his  wife  was  a 
sensible  woman,  and  didn't  w^ant  any  letter,  that  she 
knew  he  ought  to  have  been  turned  out  long  ago. 

The  next  case  was  that  of  Bro.  C.  G.  Grady,  who 
had  been  guilty  of  drunkenness  for  about  three  years. 
Some  brother  remarked  that  we  could  not  try  his 
case,  from  the  fact  that  he  was  not  present.  "Well," 
said  I,  "Brethren,  he  is  not  far  off;  he  is  right  out 
there  in  the  bushes,  for  I  saw  him  pass  by  the  door 
just  noAv."     ;N'o  excuse.     So  the  church  witlidrew 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN. 


171 


fellowship  from  him.     And  I  believe  to  this  day  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  sanctioned  the  whole  transaction. 

The  meeting  went  on  another  week,  and  at  the 
close  I  baptized  four  interesting  young  people  in 
Bear  Creek.  Brother  Grady's  was  my  home  all  the 
meeting,  and  Sister  Grady  was  another  good,  sensible 
woman,  and  did  not  get  mad  about  the  exclusion  of 
her  husband,  but  wept  like  a  child  on  account  of  his 
course. 

I  recollect  on  Friday  of  the  last  week,  I  was 
invited  out  to  dine  with  Brother  Wooten.  I  went, 
and  never  shall  I  forget  that  big,  fat  turkey  we  iiad 
for  dinner,  and  a  table  laden  with  tlie  luxuries  of 
life,  and  everything  just  as  gentle  and  pleasant  as 
well  could  be.  Brother  W.  knew  that  he  was  wrong, 
and  T  believe  that  he  admired  my  boldness  and  moral 
courage  in  having  him  excluded.  I  wish  I  knew  the 
result,  and  what  has  grown  out  of  that  meeting.  It 
would  be  a  great  deal  better  if  many  of  our  churches 
would  have  a  church  meeting,  and  exercise  the 
proper  and  faithful  discipline,  before  beginning  a 
protracted  meeting. 

SELMA. 

I  began  a  meeting  in  Selma,  February  the  19th. 
The  church  was  in  a  spiritual  condition,  and  there 
were  demonstrations  of  the  presence  and  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  very  first  service.  The  meet- 
ing continued  six  days.     At  the  close,   on  Sunday 


172  LIFE   AXD   LABORS   OF 

evenirig,  I  baptized  eleven  lovely  young  people  in 
[Mill  Swamp.  T  was  on  niy  way  to  Beaufort,  Tvhen 
brethren  Allbritton  the  pastor,  Graves,  Hood  and 
others  laid  hands  upon  me,  and  kept  me  a  few  days 
with  good  results.  Brother  Allbritton  is  a  good, 
whole-souled  brother,  and  it  was  a  great  joy  to  labor 
with  him ;  and  Brother  Graves  and  others  were  full 
of  zeal  and  life  for  the  Master.  Oh,  what  fond 
anticipation  of  meeting  these  pastors  and  their  flocks 
in  the  sweet  bye  and  bye. 

BEAUFORT. 

On  my  way  from  Solma  to  Beaufort  I  stopped  and 
spent  the  night  with  Bro.  Jesse  Eaton,  four  miles 
from  Morehcad  City,  two  of  whose  daughters  I  bap- 
tized at  Jerusalem  in  Davie  County.  ]^ext  morning 
Brother  Eaton  proposed  that  we  go  through  the 
country  to  Morehea.d,  and  make  a  drive  for  deer,  to 
which  I  readily  agi*eed.  So  he  secured  a  driver  and 
some  dogs,  and  we  put  out.  I  was  placed  at  a  stand, 
and  another  fellow  just  beyond  me.  Soon  I  heard 
the  dogs  start,  and  next  the  deer  coming.  There 
were  three  of  them.  They  ran  up  close  to  me,  but 
the  buck  berry  bushes  were  so  thick  tliat  I  could  not 
see  them.  So  they  turned  and  ran  on  to  the  other 
fellow.  I  listened  every  moment  for  his  gun.  The 
dogs  came  out  in  full  chase,  just  making  the  welkin 
ring.  I  went  over  to  where  he  was  standing  and 
asked  him  why  he  did  not  shoot  ?     ^'Oh,''  he  says,  "I 


EI.DEK  F.   M.   JORDAN.  IT 3 

was  waiting  for  them  to  stop."  Three  fine  deer  ran 
right  close  by  him,  and  he  with  a  good  double-ba]^ 
relied  gun,  waiting  for  them  to  stop.  Said  I,  '^It 
Vias  yonr  business  to  stop  them,  instead  of  waiting  for 
them  to  stop." 

So,  we  went  on  to  C'alico  Creek,  and  gathered  up 
some  rock  oysters,  and  had  an  oyster  roast  at  old  Mrs. 
Pigot's,  which  1  remember  made  me  very  sick.  We 
took  passage  and  crossed  over  to  Beaufort.  Stopped 
w^ith  Sheriff  John  1).  Davis.  Began  a  meeting  in 
Beaufort,  February  the  27th.  Here  I  found  the 
church  and  cause  in  a  cold,  lukewarm  state;  dissen- 
sions and  strife  among  tbe  brethren.  I  preached  a 
week,  and,  as  at  Lagrange,  we  had  to  stop  and  have 
a  church  meeting  to  discipline  some  of  the  members. 
After  a  spirited  deliberation  the  ckurch  excluded  one 
of  the  brethren.  As  before  stated,  this  kind  of  work 
ought  to  be  done  before  the  protracted  meeting 
begins. 

Spirituality  is  at  a  low^  ebb  in  Beaufort.  The 
de\'il  and  whisky  nearly  hold  the  ground.  So  many 
unconverted  people,  and  inconsistent  members  in  the 
churches,  and  so  much  sony  preaching,  and  so  much 
formality,  and  so  little  vital  godliness.  Sinners  are 
hard  to  move. 

On  Sunday  evening,  March  10th,  I  baptized  four 
ladies  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  in  the  presence  of  a  vast 
assembly.  The  closing  scene  on  Sunday  night  was 
solemn  and  imprassive. 


174  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

Taken  altogether,  I  have  ever  been  of  the  opinion 
that  this  was  a  great  meeting  for  the  old  town  of 
Beaufort.  All  classes  and  denominations  came  out 
to  hear  the  faithful  preaching  of  the  Word.  I 
remember  one  very  striking  incident  which  occurred 
during  this  meeting.  There  was  a  wealthy,  accom- 
plished Episcopal  lady  who  attended  the  preaching 
regularly,  and  seemed  to  be  profoundly  interested. 
The  morning  I  left  Beaufort  she  sent  me  a  very  kind 
note,  with  a  two  dollar  and  a  half  gold  piece,  stating 
that  if  I  preached  the  truth  she  did  not  know  any- 
thing about  a  change  of  heart,  and  requested  an 
interest  in  my  prayers,  that  she  might  be  a  Christian 
and  meet  me  in  heaven.  My  soul  has  ever  gone  after 
a  people  who  are  under  the  awful  delusion  of  baptis- 
mal regeneration. 

^N'ever  shall  I  forget  the  kindness  of  the  good  peo- 
ple of  Beaufort,  especially  my  two  weeks  sojourn 
with  the  kind  family  of  Bro.  Jolin  D.  Davis.  I  am 
exceedingly  fond  of  fish  and  oysters.  Here  I  had 
them  to  my  heart's  content.  Sister  Davis  would  fry 
and  stew,  and  bake,  and  cook  them  in  every  conceiva- 
ble way  to  suit  my  relish.  A  man  who  could  not 
preach  after  eating  a  good,  large  dish  of  fried  or 
stewed  oysters,  or  a  mess  of  good,  fresh,  fried  fish, 
had  just  about  as  well  quit.  I  wonder  if  Broth.er 
and  Sister  Davis  are  living  there  now? 

Returned  to  my  home  in  the  mountains  after  an 
absence  of  two  months. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN. 


A  CAMP  HUNT. 


175 


On  iMarcli  30th,  my  boys  and  I  started  to  Hogback 
Mountain,  on  a  camp  hunt.  At  Brevard  brethren 
Wm.  Aikin  and  Samuel  King  joined  us,  two  as  good, 
jolly  old  souls  as  ever  blowed  a  horn.  Camped  the 
first  night  at  New  Prospect  Church  on  the  Toxaway 
Eiver.  'Next  day  we  moved  our  camp  to  Thomas  B. 
Eeed's,  at  the  foot  of  Hogback  Mountain,  and  that 
night,  around  a  good  camp  fire,  we  had  some  fun. 
Mr.  Keed  had  a  pounding-mill  fixed  to  run  by  water, 
for  the  purpose  of  crushing  in  a  mortar  the  corn  and 
cob  altogether.  AVhen  in  operation  it  made  a  fearful 
noise.  Late  in  the  night,  when  everything  was  quiet, 
my  son  Sam  started  the  poimding-mill,  and  it  fright- 
ened our  horses  till  it  was  with  difficutly  that  we 
could  hold  or  quiet  them. 

April  5. — We  ascended  for  the  first  time  the  Hog- 
back Mountain,  from  the  summit  of  which  is  the 
grandest  scenery  mine  eyes  ever  beheld.  A  pleasant 
outing  with  plenty  of  fish,  pheasants  and  squirrels. 

MEETING  AT   WILSON. 

At  this  time  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church  in 
Wilson  was  weak,  and  surrounded  with  peculiar 
environments.  Here  was  the  stronghold  of  anti- 
mission  influence.  This  was  the  home  of  Elder 
P.  D.  Gould,who  edited  and  published  "Zions  Land- 
marks/' which  had  a  powerful  influence  in  prevent- 
ing the  development  of  the  churches  and  the  spirit 


176  LIFE   AXD   LABORS    OF 

ot  missions.  There  was  great  anxiety  upon  the  part 
of  many,  and  some  especially,  to  strengthen  and 
build  up  the  cause  in  Wilson.  For  this,  the  soul  of 
our  beloved  Bro.  G.  W.  Blount  was  draAvn  out.  Dr. 
Pritchard,  Dr.  llufham,  Blount  and  others  were 
anxions  for  me  to  hold  a  meeting  in  Wilson,  but  did 
not  know  how  to  get  the  opportunity,  as  the  church 
was  rather  opposed  to  excitement,  and  protracted 
meetings,  though  just  as  honest  and  conscientious  as 
tljey  well  could  be.  So,  Dr.  Pritchai'd  wi'ote  to 
Brother  Blount  about  the  matter.  Brother  Blount 
replied  that  it  all  depended  upon  Bro.  Cobb  Moss; 
that  if  Brother  Moss  said  I  could  go  there  and  con- 
duct a  series  of  meetings,  I  could  go,otherwise  I  could 
not.  An}^way  it  was  decided  that  T  should  go  and 
give  them  a  trial.  So  on  Saturday,  April  20th,  I 
landed  in  Wilson.  Bro.  eJohn  B.  Brewer  met  me  at 
the  depot,  and  carried  me  up  to  the  Female  Semi- 
nary, of  which  he  was  the  President,  gave  me  a  nice 
room,  and  a  seat  at  his  table  with  all  those  pretty 
girls.  T  thought  this  looked  like  a  favorable  begin- 
ning. 

So  I  began  the  meeting  in  Wilson  April  21st,  and 
preached  morning  and  night.  Some  of  the  church 
was  opposed  to  a  protracted  meeting,  so  they  decided 
that  T  could  stay  till  Tuesday  night,  the  night  of  the 
prayer-meoting,and  tlien  they  would  decide  whether  I 
could  stay  longer  or  leava 


JAMES    F.   JORDAN. 
14th   Child.) 


JOHN    Y.   JORDAN. 
(5th   Child. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  177 

I  prayed  earnestly  for  the  direction  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  whole  matter,  in  the  meantime  trying 
to  b(3  as  cautious  as  if  creeping  up  to  a  wild  turkey 
in  a  ten-acre  field.  So  Tuesday  night  Brother  Moss 
prayed  one  of  the  most  tender,  melting  prayers  I 
almost  ever  heard,  and  the  meeting  went  on.  The 
interest  began  gradually  to  increase,  both  in  the 
church  and  among  the  unconverted.  The  prayer- 
meetings  every  morning  were  exceedingly  precious. 
After  the  meeting  had  been  going  on  about  a  week, 
Elders  R.  T.  Vann  and  J.  D.  Hufham  came  and 
spent  two  or  three  days  with  us,  which  greatly 
strengthened  and  encouraged  me.  Some  of  the 
church  told  these  brethren  that  I  was  going  too  fast. 
I  didn't  see  how  I  could  go  much  slower,and  go  at  all. 
But  after  some  two  weeks  several  had  made  a  pro- 
fession of  religion,  among  the  number  Brother  Moss's 
loA^ely  daughter,  and  I  baptized  her  with  a  number 
of  others,  and  Brother  Moss  was  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  would  talk  and  pray  and  cry,  and  I  could 
make  any  proposition  T  thought  proper  without 
giving  offence. 

On  May  1st,  Mr.  W.  W.  Brown  fell  dead  in  a 
store  in  Wilson,  after  taking  breakfast  with  his 
children.  I  preached  at  night  on  death  and  judg- 
ment, from  ITeb.  9 :  27.  Great  solemnity  pervaded 
the  congregation.  I  believe  that  God  blessed  this 
sudden  death  to  the    awakening    of    sinners.     The 

12 


178  LIFE   AND   LABOKS    OF    - 

funeral  services  of  Mr.  Brown  took  place  at  the  Bap- 
tist church.  Elder  J.  D.  Hufliam  preached  the  ser- 
mon, from  I  Cor.  15:27:  '^He  hath  put  all  things 
under  his  ieeV 

May  5. — I  joreached  at  night  on  implicit  obedience 
to  all  the  commandments  of  God.  I  Sam.  15:22. 
And  T  then  baptized  five  believers  in  obedience  to  the 
command  of  the  great  head  of  the  church — Florence 
Winborn,  Santie  Waterileld,  Sidney  Winsted,  Mrs. 
Hardie,  and  Miss  Whitley. 

Sister  J.  B.  Brewer  was  a  Methodist,  and  when  I 
closed  my  sermon  that  night  on  obedience,  she  turned 
to  her  husband,  and  said:  ^^I  want  to  be  baptized.'' 
^'Well/'  Brother  Brewer  said,  ^^You  can  be  baptized 
during  the  meeting."  "Ko,"  she  says,  ^^I  want  to 
be  baptized  right  now,  to-night.''  She  was  not  pre^ 
])ared  to  go  into  the  water  just  then,  and  it  was  with 
reluctance  she  consented  to  wait  till  the  next  night. 
So  on  the  night  of  May  6tli  Sister  Brewer  was 
received  and  baptized — most  beautiful  and  impres- 
sive scene. 

What  a  glorious  thing  it  is  to  be  faithful,  and 
preach  the  whole  truth,  at  all  times,  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, and  at  all  hazards,  and  have  the  appro- 
bation of  God,  and  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience. 

God  pity  these  poor,  puny,  sickly,  cowardly  evan- 
gelists, who  preach  for  money  and  populai'ity,  and 
ignore  Christian  duty,  and  the  ordinances  of  the 
•church  of  Jesus  Christ. 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN.  179 

The  meeting  progresses  with  increasing  interest. 
Judge  John  Kerr  is  with  us,  and  Las  conducted  some 
glorious  prayer-meetings  and  made  some  heart- 
searching  and  soul-stirring  talks.  One  night  after 
one  of  his  impressive  addresses,  amounting  to  a  good 
sermon,  I  baptized  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Portis,  Mrs.  Cobb, 
Mrs.  Humphries  and  Sheriff  Briggs.  Delightful 
scene,  glorious  meeting.  Sometimes  I  would  baptize 
three  and  four  nights  in  the  week,  as  the  church  had 
a  good  baptistry,  kept  in  good  condition. 

On  Sunday  night.  May  12th,  Judge  Kerr  preached 
a  powerful  sermon  from  the  22nd  chapter  of  Revela- 
tions. Three  re<?eived  for  baptism.  I  baptized 
John  Kerr  Brooks,  and  B.  F.  Taylor.  The  next 
niglit  T  baptized  Messrs.  Portis,  Mayo  and  Williams, 
three  interesting  young  men,  and  the  next  night  Sis- 
ter Davis  and  Brother  Bobinson. 

Saturday,  May  18. — Judge  Kerr  delivered  a  pow- 
erful discourse  at  the  prayer-meeting.  At  night  I 
baptized  Miss  Mourning  Bone,  Miss  T^ancaster,  Mr. 
Taylor,  Mr.  Allen,  Miss  Anna  Moss,  daughter  of 
Bro.  Cobb  Moss,  and  Miss  Bydia  Brewer,  daughter 
of  Brother  and  Sister  J.  M.  Brewer,  of  Wake  Forest, 
and  gi-and daughter  of  the  beloved  and  sainted  Sam- 
uel Wait.  This,  like  the  others,  was  an  impressive 
scene,  and  happy  occasion. 

Monday  night  T  baptized  Mr.  Eugene  Jordan  and 
Wei  don  Taylor,  and  the  next  niglit  Mrs.  Robinson. 
Stormy  night,  but  good  meeting. 


180  LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 

The  meeting  has  now  been  going  on  over  five 
weeks,  and  it  does  seem  like  every  meeting  is  the 
best. 

Fc'briKirv  24. — I  baptized  Mrs.  Mary  Whitehead, 
and  tlie  next  night  Miss  Maggie  Jordan,  and  Mr. 
Xewsom. 

Thus  the  active  labors  and  busy  scenes  of  this 
glorious  meeting  are  going  on,  but  I  am  tired  and 
worn,  and  it  does  seem  that  duty  requires  that  T  stop 
and  rest. 

Sunday,  ]May  20. — T  preached  morning  and  night 
and  baptized  Miss  Ida  Moss,  and  Charity  Hogg. 

Monday  night,  ^fay  27.— The  church  met  to  con- 
sult the  best  interest  of  the  church  and  cause.  A 
social,  delightful  meeting.  Mr.  Rhodes  and  Mrs. 
Phelps  united  with  the  church.  All  so  cheerful  and 
happy.  The  next  night  I  baptized  Bro.  Sam 
Harrell  and  Sister  Phelps. 

Mhv  ;>0. — T  preached  my  farewell  sermon.     Peni- 
tents, young  converts,   and  many  Christian  friends 
came  forAvard  and  bade  me  farewell — much  tender- 
ness and  weeping. 
.  Thus  closed  a  great  meeting  of  six  weeks. 

Some  fifty  professions  of  religion,  and  forty  addi- 
tions to  the  church  by  baptism. 

^Fay  31. — T  visited  several  families  and  dined 
with  P>ro.  (t.  W.  Blount.  Found  it  hard  to  get  away 
from  the  good  people  of  Wilson.  The  church  pre- 
vailed with  me  to  stay  and  preach  again  at  night,  and 


E3.DEK  F.   M.    JORDAN. 


181 


baptize.  So  I  remained,  preached  at  night,  and  bap- 
tized Wilson  Vann  and  James  Evans,  and  again  bade 
farewell. 

At  til  is  time  the  chnrch  was  without  a.  pastor.  But 
right  here  I  want  to  say  that  Bro.  Cobb  Moss  was  one 
of  the  sweetest  spirits  I  have  ever  met.  He  was  so 
full  of  the  Spirit  that  he  would  give  life  and  soul  to 
any  meeting,  ^ever  shall  I  forget  his  glowing 
talks,  his  tender  prayers  and  flowing  tears. 

June  1 1 . — 1  went  to  Wake  Forest.  Met  with  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  Dr.  P.  S.  Henson  preached  at 
ni2;ht. 

Wednesday. — Address  before  the  Literary  Socie- 
ties by  Henry  McDonald,  D.  D.,  of  Richmond,  Ya. 
Address  before  the  Alumni  at  night  by  G.  W.  Blount, 
of  Wilson,  Ts^  C. 

Thursday. — Exercises  of  the  graduating  class. 
M  V  son,  W.  T.  Jordan,  was  a  member  of  the  class. 

I  return  to  the  loved  ones  at  home  after  an  absence 
of  ten  weeks. 

EEFUGE. 

I  began  a  meeting  at  Refuge  church,  in  Henderson 
County,  July  21st,  which  continued  eleven  days,  at 
the  close  of  which  I  baptized  eleven  interesting  young 
people. 

SALEM. 

I  began  a  meeting  at  Old  Salem,  in  Henderson 
County,  August  5th.     The  church  in  rather  a  cold 


182  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

state.     The  meeting  continued  nine  days;  ten  addi- 
tions; seven  baptized. 

MOCKSVILLE. 

I  began  a  meeting  in  Mocksville,  August  18th, 
with  Elder  S.  F.  Conrad,  pastor.  The  church  is  in 
rather  a  cold,  lukewarm  state,  and  sinners  hard  to 
move.  The  meeting  continued  two  weeks  with  good 
interest.  On  Sunday,  at  the  close  of  the  meeting, 
1  baptized  thirteen,  four  husbands  and  their  wives, 
among  the  number.  Among  those  baptized,  was 
Brother  AYilliamson,  who  was  a  good  lawyer,  and  I 
hope  has  made  a  good  member.  Brother  Conrad, 
now  of  Charlotte,  is  a  whole-souled  fellow,  bold  as  a 
lion,  and  would  preach  what  he  believes  to  be  the 
truth,  though  the  heavens  fall.  He  would  not  hesi- 
tate a  moment  to  tackle  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil,  all  at  the  same  time,  for  he  has  no  better  sense 
than  to  believe  that  God  is  on  the  side  of  the  faithful 
and  true. 

Sister  Conrad  is  one  of  the  old  blue  hen's  Person 
C'ounty  chickens.  She  told  me  in  Mocksville  that  if 
she  knew  there  was  one  drop  of  Pedobaptist  blood  in 
her  veins  she  would  cut  a  hole  and  let  it  run  out. 
And  she  would,  and  be  in  a  hurry  about  it  at  that. 
These  are  the  sort  w^hose  works  and  teachings  will 
stand  the  fires  of  the  great  day. 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN.  183 

CAMP  HUNT. 

Wednesday,  September  4. — My  boys,  Sam,  Willie 
and  James  with  Baldy  l^icliols  and  Capt.  Yateman, 
start  to  Big  Hogback  Mountain  on  a  camp  hnnt. 
Spend  the  night  in  Brevard  with  our  old  friends  Sam- 
uel Xing  and  Wm.  Aikin.  Brother  Aikin  goes  with 
lis.  On  the  night  of  the  5th  we  camped  at  Flat 
Creek,  killed  qnite  a  number  of  squirrels,  and  had  a 
good  time.  Next  morning  we  made  a  drive  for  deer, 
and  I  killed  a  nice  one,  which  made  me  feel  exceed- 
ingly *good.  So  we  moved  on  to  our  old  camp,  at  the 
old  church  on  Toxaway.  Here  we  spent  the  night 
phjasantly  around  a  good  camp  fire. 

THE    CAT    FIGHT. 

Late  in  the  night,  after  everything  got  quiet,  two 
of  my  boys  decided  upon  a  cat  fight.  (Willie  and 
J  ames. )  One  of  them  went  out  in  the  bushes  on  one 
side,  and  the  other  on  the  other  side.  They  com- 
menced mewing  and  growling  like  cats,  and  approach- 
ing each  other,  growling  more  and  more  angry  and 
furious.  ISTo  two  cats  ever  appeared  to  be  madder 
than  thesg.  At  length  they  became  so  enraged  that 
it  seemed  like  it  never  would  do  for  them  to  get 
together.  The  balance  of  us  were  lying  there  in  the 
old  church,  nearly  dying  laughing  at  their  wonderful 
movements.  At  last  they  got  together,  and  as  God  is 
my  judge,  I  never  heard  such  a  cat  fight  in  all  the 


1  S4  LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 

world.  T  never  shall  forget  how  Baldj  ^N'ichols 
Iniii^iieil.  It  is  strange  to  me  now  how  two  bojs 
could  imitate  cats  so  near  to  perfection. 

8imday  1  preached  to  the  people  of  that  com- 
nmnity  in  the  old  Prospect  Church,  where  we 
langhcd  so  heartily  over  the  cat  fight. 

On  this  hunt  we  killed  twenty-three  squirrels,  one 
turke;),  one  pheasant,  caught  sixty  mountain  trout, 
killed  a  rattlesnake,  and  one  deer,  and  had  a  tremen- 
dous oat  I'lCijn. 

MEETING    IN    GOLDSBOEO. 

1  begin  a  meeting  in  Goldsboro,  October  6th,  with 
Bro.  T\  11.  Ivey,  pastor.  The  church  does  not  seem 
to  be  in  travail.  Sinners  steeped  in  sin,  and  hard  to 
move.  Oh,  for  the  power  of  Elijah's  God.  The 
interest  increases  as  the  meeting  goes  on. 

Sunday,  night,  October  20. — Brother  Ivey  bap- 
tiezd  six  personSjOne  of  them  Miss  Ann  Eliza  McDuf- 
fie,  from  Fa^^etteville. 

Friday  night  Brother  Ivey  baptized  two  young 
men.      Sinners  hardened  in  sin.     Lord  help. 

Sunday,  at  9  a.  m.*,  Brother  Ivey  baptized  tw^o  in 
7\euse  Biver — Mrs.  Raifod  and  Mr.  Frank  Phelps. 

J 'reach  Sunday  night.  Some  forty  persons  come 
forward  for  prayer.  Consented  to  stay  longer. 
Thursday  night,  October  31st,  six  united  with  the 
c Lurch."    Five  young  men  and  one  lady. 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN. 


185 


Saturday  niglit. — Three  professions  of  faith — two 
received  for  baptism. 

Sunday  night  preached  my  last  sermon,  and  bap- 
tized eight  persons,  making  eighteen  baptized  during 
the  uieeiting.  The  meeting  continues  twenty-nine 
days. 

Brc.ther  Ivey  was  a  strong  man,  and  a  fine 
pieacher,  but  was  in  bad  health,  and  did  not  enjoy 
liis  work  and  the  meeting  as  he  otherwise  would. 
We  tried  to  do  good,  faithful,  solid  work,  not  looking 
to  the  number  of  professions  alone,  as  the  result  of 
a  g<»od  meeting. 

Wednesday,  N'ovember  6. — The  Convention  met  in 
Cliarlotte.  W.  A.  Graham  elected  President,  and 
W'm.  Biggs  of  Oxford,  whom  I  baptized,  was  made 
Secretary. 

Sermon  at  night  by  T.  A.  Munday,  of  Warrenton. 

Sunday  attended  the  Baptist  church.  A.  C. 
Dixon  preached  the  Missionary  Sermon,  the  best  I 
ever  lieard. 

Beturned  home  after  an  absence  of  six  weeks.  So 
delightful  to  be  at  home  with  my  family. 

MEETING   IN    SALISBURY. 

T  began  a  meeting  in  Salisbury  with  Elder  J.  B. 
Boone,  November  29th.  The  meeting  continued 
sixteen  days.  Th-ere  were  many  influences  brought 
to  bear  to  keep  the  people  away  from  the  meeting 
ard   away  from  Christ.     The  people  seemed  to  be 


186  LIFE   AK^D   LABOES    OF 

hardened  in  sin.  There  were  eight  professions  of 
reJigicn,  and  some  received  for  baptism.  The  bap- 
rifem  was  postponed  on  account  of  a  heavy  fall  of  rain 
the  last  day  of  the  meeting.  Brother  Boone  and  I 
preached  the  gospel  faithfully,  and  visited  a  great 
many  families,  both  in  town  and  country. 

We  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  good  effects  of 
these  meetings  have  been  seen  and  realized  in  Salis- 
bury till  this  day.  ^  It  was  preparatory  and  founda- 
tion work.  My  home  during  this  meeting  was  with 
Dr.  Whitehead,  Sr.  What  a  benediction,  to  enjoy 
the  comforts  and  reiining  influences  of  such  a  home! 
I  have  spent  much  time  and  hard  labor  to  establish 
the  truth  and  build  up  the  cause  of  Christ  in  Salis- 
bury. 

This  meeting  closes  the  labors  of  1878. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Lumberton— Whiteville—  Asheville—  Laurinburg  — Rocking- 
ham—Lincolnton— Cool  Spring— Mt.  Moriah  — Waynes- 
ville  —  Charlotte  —  Union  Hill  —  Spartanburg  —  A  New 
Home  — Wadesboro  — Lilesville  — Ashpole  —  Winston  — 
Lilesville  — Bennettsville,  S.  C. —Greensboro  — Mineral 
Springs,  S.  C— Jerusalem— Little  River— Enon—Beulah— 
Bear  Swamp,  S.  C.—Laurinburg— Ashpole— Fayetteville. 


1879. — January  1. — Thanking  Thee,  Oh,  Lord, 
for  all  Thy  loving  kindness  and  tender  mercies  in  the 
past,  and  praying  the  forgiveness  of  all  sin,  I  this 
day  reconsecrate  my  life  to  Thy  service. 

MEETING  IN  LUMBERTON. 

Began  a  meeting  in  Lumberton  the  10th  of  Jan- 
nary,  mth  my  son  W.  T.  Jordan,  pastor.  This  was 
a  glorious  meeting  of  three  weeks'  continuance.  On 
Simday,  February  2nd,  I  baptized  fifteen — ten 
young  men  and  five  young  ladies.  Among  this  num- 
ber was  E.  K.  Proctor,  now  a  leading  spirit  in  the 
Eobeson  Association. 

February  3. — Made  ten  visits.  Hard  to  get 
away  from  the  good  people  of  Lumberton.  At  9 
p.  m.  I  was  summoned  into  the  parlor  of  Brother 
Godwin,  where  I  was  greeted  by  about  fifty  brethren, 
sisters,  converts  and  children,  and  was  presented 
with  fifty  bundles  of  valuable  articles  for  myself  and 
family,  and  a  purse  of  eighty  dollars  in  money.     I 


188  LIFE   AND   LxVBORS   OF 

had  no  language  to  express  my  gratitude  to  God  for 
these  expressions  of  love  and  appreciation. 

MEETING   I'N   WHITEVILLE. 

On  the  5th  of  Febmarj  I  began  a  meeting  in 
Wliiteville,  with  J.  W.  Dickson,  pastor.  Here  I 
am  comfortablv  quartered  in  the  office  of  Bro.  John 
W.  Ellis. 

The  Holy  Spirit  manifested  its  presence  and 
willingness  to  bless  in  the  very  outset  of  this  meet- 
ing, though  there  were  obstacles  in  the  way.  There 
seemed  to  be  a  determination  upon  the  part  of  some 
to  counteract  Baptist  influence  in  Whiteville.  We 
had  the  Methodist  quarterly  meeting  to  begin  with. 
Sunday  we  gave  way  and  went  to  hear  the  Presiding 
Elder  preach,  and  saw  him  sprinkle  a  poor,  little, 
innocent,  unconscious  babe.  How  sad,  how  sad.  I 
think  the  Elder  remained  there  about  a  week,  but 
he  never  came  to  our  meeting,  neither  did  the  Meth- 
odist and  Presbyterian  preachers  in  charge  there  ever 
come;  but  went  around  every  day  and  worked  like 
men  fighting  fire  to  counteract  my  influence,  and  the 
influence  of  the  meeting.  We  went  right  on  preach- 
ing the  everlasting  gospel,  repentance,  faith,  baptism, 
and  weaving  it  all  in  just  as  taught  in  the  'New  Tes- 
tament by  the  Master.  God  blessed  His  truth  in  the 
conviction,  conversion  and  salvation  of  sinners.  The 
interest  spread  in  the  to^\Ti  and  in  the  country.  Most 
of  Bro.  X.  D.  Johnson's  school  are  interested  in  their 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  189 

salvation.  Visited  the  school  this  afternoon.  The 
meeting  has  now  been  going  two  weeks,  and  nearly 
all  the  penitents  have  made  a  profession  of  faith  in 
Christ.  This  is  certainly  a  genuine  revival  of  reli- 
gion, and  a  great  work  of  grace. 

Sunday,  February  16. — I  preached  from  I.  Sam. 
15 :  22,  on  implicit  obedience  to  all  the  commands  of 
God,  which  made  a  powerful  impression. 

A  good  Presbyterian  sister,  organist  in  the  Presby- 
terian cliurch,  and  two  Methodist  sisters,  became  dis- 
satisfied with  sprinkling  for  baptism.  They  got 
together,  and  talked  the  matter  over;  said  they 
believed  that  immersion  was  the  only  scriptural  bap- 
tism, aud  that  the  Baptists  were  right,  and  that  if 
they  never  had  been  poured  or  sprinkled  they  would 
join  the  Baptists  and  be  immersed,  but  they  did  not 
like  to  be  called  turncoats.  I  heard  what  they  said. 
So  one  day  I  made  some  remarks,  and  said  that  some 
people  said  they  did  not  like  to  be  turncoats.  I  said, 
^'N^either  do  I,  but  if  I  put  on  my  coat  with  the 
inside  out,  1  never  feel  right  till  I  pull  it  off  and 
turn  it."  I  said  it  was,  not  cut  nor  made  to  wear  that 
way ;  that  the  buttons,  and  buttonholes  were  on  the 
wrong  side.  Said  T,  ^'Did  you  ever  try  to  button  a 
coat  put  on  with  the  inside  out?  Its  a  mighty 
awkward  job."  That  I  could  see  nothing  in  the  world 
wrong  in  turning  from  wrong  to  right;  now  if  you 
find  out  you  are  wrong,  certainly  there  can  be  noth- 
ing  wrong   in   turning   and   getting  right.      One  of 


-190  LIFE  AND  LABORS    OF 

these  jMethodist  ladies  told  me  afterward  that  for 
about  three  .days  and  nights  she  could  see  nothing 
scarcely  but  that  old  coat  lining,  sticking  on  the 
wrong  side. 

Saturday,  Febrnary  22nd,  I  explained  the  sub- 
jects and  mode  of  baptism,  and  their  relation  to  com- 
munion. This  pinned  the  basket.  When  the  oppor- 
tunity was  given,  all  tliree  of  these  sisters  came  for- 
ward and  were  received  for  baptism,  and  Sunday 
I  buried  them  with  their  blessed  Savior  in  baptism. 

The  following  persons  were  baptized  at  this  time: 
Robert  Powell,  S.  F.  McDaniel,  Giles  Innman, 
Frank  Beasley,  S.  E.  Memory  and  wife.  Miss  Ella 
Harrell,  Miss  Lee  Ellis,  and  Mrs.  Martha  Smith. 

Sister  S.  E.  Memory  was  the  Presbyterian  sister. 
I  saw  her  at  the  Convention  in  Wilmington  last 
]\ray.  She  said,  "It  is  worth  coming  to  the  Conven- 
tion, just  to  see  Brother  Jordan.''  S.  F.  McDaniel 
was  a  young  lawyer  of  fine  promise. 

There  were  twenty  professions  of  religion,  and 
nine  baptized  .  Quit^  a  number  of  the  converts  were 
pupils  in  Brother  Johnson's  school. 

1  shall  ever  cherish  in  my  memory  the  names  of 
the  good  people  of  Whiteville — the  Memorys,  the 
Powells,  the  Plarrolls,  and  Ellises,  with  a  host  of 
others. 

Brother  J.  W.  Dickson  was  a  true  yoke-fellow,  a 
man  after  my  own  heart.      We  certainly  had  a  good 


ELDER  F.  ijL.   JORDAN.  191 

time  together  in  that  great  meeting.  He  was  sound 
Si?  a  doHar,  and  true  as  steel. 

Monday,  February  24th,  I  bade  the  dear  people 
of  Whiteville  farewell ;  and  I  thiuk  it  was  one  of  the 
happiest  days  of  my  life,  as  I  came  through  tlie 
swamps  and  piny  woods  to  Lumberton,  thinking  of 
the  young  converts  and  the  good  meetings.  My  soul 
was  full  of  love  to  God,  and  love  to  man.  I  spent 
the  night  so  pleasantly  with  my  son  at  Brother  God- 
win's. 

My  son  W.  T.  Jordan  was  ordained  to  the  gospel 
ministry  at  Wake  Forest  on  the  third  Sabbath  in 
February,  1879. 

Tuesday  morning,  at  9  a.  m.,  I  baptized  four  per- 
sons in  Lumber  River,  and  again  bade  the  dear  peo- 
ple of  Lumberton  farewell.  I  returned  home  after 
an  absence  of  seven  weeks. 

MEETING  IN  ASHEVILLE. 

I  began  a  meeting  in  Asheville,  March  2nd,  with 
Bro.  John  Mitchell.  The  meeting  continued  a  week. 
On  Sunday,  the  last  day  of  the  meeting,  I  preached 
on  baptism  and  communion.  At  night,  I  preached 
my  fare^^-ell  sermon,  after  whicli  Brother  Mitchell 
baptized  eleven  candidates,  and  the  exercises  of  a 
glorious  meeting  closed.  Fourteen  additions  to  the 
church,  and  the  church  greatly  revived.  I  think  this 
makes  four  or  five  meetings  I  have  held  with  Brother 


192  LIFE  AND  LABOKS   OF 

Mitchell  in  Asheville.     I  have  certainly  had  a  good 
time  with  brethren,  sisters  and  friends   in  Asheville. 

MEETING  IN   LAUEINBUKG. 

Laurinburg  was  a  thriving  to^Aoi  without  any  Bap- 
tist church  or  house  of  worship.  Here  were  located 
the  company's  shops  of  the  Carolina  Central  rail- 
road. My  son,  W.  T.  Jordan,  commenced  preaching 
here  in  a  small,  uncomfortable  hall,  a  church  of  six 
members  having  been  organized  by  Bro.  ]^.  B.  Cobb. 
I  began  a  meeting  here  with  my  son,  March  23,  1879. 
When  I  arrived  at  this  place  I  learned  that  it  was 
arranged  to  hold  the  meeting  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  a  large  commodious  house  of  worship.  I  did 
not  much  like  this,  for  I  intended  to  preach  the  whole 
truth  at  all  hazards.  But  I  thought  if  they  could 
stand  it,  I  could.  So  the  meeting  went  on  day  and 
night  with  great  power.  The  first  week  there  were 
ten  professions,  and  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
was  manifest,  both  in  the  town  and  in  the  country. 
This  was  a  Presbyterian  stronghold,  and  many  aged 
people  had  never  seen  any  one  immersed.  So  1 
determined  that  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
ihey  should  at  least  know  the  truth.  So  on  Fi'iday 
night  of  the  second  week  of  the  meeting  I  preached 
on  the  mode  and  subjects  of  baptism  and  communion, 
just  did  my  level  best,  right  there  in  the  Presbyterian 
Louse,  and  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  preachers 
both  there.     There  was  the  good  of  it,  for  I  wanted 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  193 

them  to  hear.  In  my  sermon  I  said,  that  I  took  it 
as  an  insult  for  a  Pedobaptist  to  invite  me  to  the 
Lord's  table  if  he  knew  my  principles. 

After  the  sermon  fourteen  were  received  for  bap- 
tism, moro  than  doubling  the  membership  of  the 
little  church.     This  was  a  happy  meeting. 

Saturday  and  Sunday  were  the  regular  meeting 
days  of  the  Presbyterians.  So  we  gave  way,  and 
went  out  to  hear  them.  Saturday  the  preacher 
preached,  and  lo  and  behold,  he  had  tAvo  babies  to 
sprinkle.  After  hearing  that  sermon  the  night 
before,  and  then  right  there  in  my  presence,  it  did 
look  like  he  hated  a^vfully  to  sprinkle  those  babies. 
But  he  did,  and  they  both  cried  as  if  they  had  the 
colic,  and  their  mothers  had  to  take  them  out  to 
quiet  them.  The  preacher's  face  was  as  red  as  a 
gobler's  snout. 

Saturday  night  I  preached  on  the  importance  of 
obedience  to  all  God's  commands.  I  believe  the 
Holy  Spirit  sealed  this  truth  home  to  the  hearts  and 
consciences  of  many  souls. 

Sunday  we  Baptists  went  out  to  the  meeting.  It 
was  their  communion  season.  After  the  preaching 
the  preacher  invited  all  Christians  to  the  Lord's 
table,  except  those  whose  principles  forbid  them. 
That  let  us  Baptists  all  out,  for  he  learned  our  prin- 
ciples Friday  night. 

At  4  p.  m.,  at  Mr.  Roper's  pond,  I  baptized  fif- 

13 


194  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

teen  as  happy  subjects  as  I  ever  saw;  never  saw 
brig-liter  countenances  nor  a  more  beautiful  scene. 
There  was  a  vast  crowd  of  spectators.  It  was  a  beau- 
tiful evening,  and  it  seems  to  me  the  Lord  never 
made  a  more  beautiful  place  to  baptize  believers.  I 
learned  that  some  of  those  old  Presbyterians  went 
away  and  said,  that  must  be  the  right  way  after  all. 
At  night  we  extended  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to 
those  baptized,  and  I  preached  my  farewell  sermon. 
After  closing  this  meeting  my  son  and  I  went  to 
Eennettsville  to  visit  my  nephew,  Dr.  John  Jordan, 
and  rest  a  few  daj^s.  Friday  we  returned  to  Laurin- 
burg,  and  I  preached  in  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
received  two  of  their  o^vll  members  for  baptism,  Mrs. 
Willoughby  and  Mr.  Iluckaby.  Saturday  morning 
I  baptized  this  good  brother  and  sister,  and  bade  the 
good  people  of  Laurinburg  farewell. 

MEETING    IN     ROCKINGHAM. 

I  Ix'gan  a  meeting  in  Rockingham  on  Sunday, 
April  13,  1870.  This  was  an  old  to^vn,  composed  of 
an  intelligent,  wealthy  population,  mostly  of  the 
Methodist  persuasion.  The  Baptists  never  having 
had  any  organization  or  house  of  worship  in  the 
place.  I  began  preaching  in  the  court-house,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  manifested  its  presence  and  willingness 
to  bless.  The  congregations  were  large  and  att-en- 
tivo.  Prayer-meeting  every  morning  and  preaching 
at   night.     My   son,   W.    T.    Jordan,   joined   me   on 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  195 

Monday,  and  aided  in  the  meeting,  which  increased 
in  interest  at  every  service,  until  the  wliole  place 
seemed  to  be  moved. 

On  Thursday  night,  April  24th,  after  the  sermon 
old  Bro.  John  Monroe,  W.  T.  Jordan  and  I,  organ- 
ized a  Baptist  Church  in  the  court-house,  of  twenty- 
four  members.  The  exercises  were  very  interesting. 
The  next  night  I  preached  on  the  subjects  and  mode 
of  baptism  and  communion,  after  which,  eight  were 
received  for  baptism.  Many  were  convinced  tliat 
the  Baptists  are  right  in  their  faith  and  practice. 

Saturday  I  preached  at  Cartlidge's  Creek,  and 
dined  with  old  Sister  Hannah  Covington,  now  in  her 
85th  year.  Preached  in  town,  at  nights,  and  four 
were  received  for  baptism,  all  Methodists. 

Sunday  I  preached  at  11  a.  ni.,  and  at  4  p.  m.  I 
baptized  sixteen  in  the  presence  of  at  least  one 
thousand  people,  H.  C.  Dockery  and  wife  among 
the  number.  We  extended  the  right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship at  night  and  I  preached  my  farewell  sermon. 
This  increased  the  membership  from  twenty-four  to 
forty. 

There  is  an  incident  or  two  connected  with  this 
meeting  worthy  of  special  mention.  Sister  Dockery 
was  an  Episcopalian,  but  was  convinced  that  it  was 
her  duty  to  be  baptized  according  to  the  teaching  of 
the  N^ew  Testament.  Her  husband  liad  been 
received.  The  last  opportunity  was  given  at  11 
a.  m.      Tlie  baptism  was  to  be  in  the  afternoon.      She 


196  LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 

was  in  great  trouble.  I  went  home  with  them  to 
dine — went  np  stairs  to  rest  a  little  before  dinner 
was  ready.  She  soon  sent  for  me  to  come  down,  and 
help  her  settle  the  great  question  of  the  divine  com- 
mand. Tn  a  short  time  the  question  was  settled,  and 
she  Avas  happy.  With  a  bright,  happy  face,  she  ate 
her  dinner,  went  down  to  the  water  and  was  received 
and  baptized  with  her  husband.  She  was  one  of  the 
prettiest  women  and  one  of  the  most  lovely  Chris- 
tians T  ever  saw.  It  did  look  like  a  pity  for  her  to 
die  so  young.  Long  since  she  has  been  in  heaven. 
I  now  l^egin  to  look  forward  with  fond  anticipations 
to  the  day  when  T  shall  meet  the  young  converts,  and 
those  whom  I  have  baptized,  in  the  glory  world. 

Bro.  Dockery's  was  our  home  during  the  meeting. 

Another  incident  connected  with  this  meeting  in 
Rockingham  T  will  mention.  Tlie  goats  had  been 
accustomed  to  occupy  the  court-house  whenever  it 
suited  their  convenience.  So  they  would  sometimes 
come  into  the  meeting.  T  recollect  one  Sunday 
morning  at  the  11  o'clock  service,  while  T  w^as  preach- 
ing, an  old  goat  walked  in  deliberately,  and  surveyed 
the  situation.  He  would  look  at  me,  and  then  at  the 
congregation.  Every  eye  was  fixed  upon  the  goat, 
and  the  situation  was  both  amusing  and  painful.  At 
leni^th  a  friend  relieved  the  suspense  by  putting  out 
the  goat.  I  thought,  ^^Poor  fellow,  how  fitly  you 
represent  the  day,  and  that  class  of  people,  when 
Jesus  will  divide  the  sheep  from  the  goats." 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  jl97 

MEETING  IN  EINCOLNTON. 

Lincolnton  was  a  towTi  of  a  good  deal  of  wealth 
and  intelligence,  bnt  very  little  piety.  The  people 
of  the  town  and  the  surrounding  eonntry  had  been 
under  the  influence  of  Lutherans,  Episcopalians,  and 
German  Reformed  denominations,  a  form  of  godli- 
ness without  its  power.  Here  the  Baptists  had  no 
church  nor  meeting-house,  and  but  a  few  Baptists  in 
the  town ;  but  they  longed  for  Baptist  preaching  and 
Baptist  privileges.  Brother  A.  L.  Stough  w^as  liv- 
ing at,  and  pastor  of,  the  Baptist  Church  in  Shelby, 
and  preached  occasionally  in  Lincolnton. 

The  German  Reforms  had  an  old  dilapidated 
house  there  with  a  membership  nearly  extinct. 
Brother  Stough  got  permission  to  have  this  old  house 
repaired,  and  fitted  up  for  worship.  On  the  first 
of  June,  1889,  I  began  a  meeing  wdth  Brother  Stough 
in  this  old  house.  The  congregations  were  large  and 
attentive.  There  was  a  great  spiritual  dearth  in 
Lincolnton  at  this  time.  I  don't  know  when  there 
ever  had  been  a  revival  of  religion.  The  Holy  Spirit 
was  present  in  great  power.  God's  convicting  and 
regenerating  work  soon  appeared.  The  whole  town 
w^as  moved,  and  all  classes  were  coming  out  to  the 
meeting,  and  the  children  and  people  of  other  denom- 
inations w^ere  coming  forward  for  prayer,  especially 
the  Episcopalians,  and  I  have  no  doubt  would  have 
been   converted   if   they   had   been   let   alone.     But 


198  LIFE   AND   LABOES    OF 

when  'Mr.  Wetmore,  the  Episcopal  minister  in 
charge,  saw  that  tlio  Baptist  meeting  was  a  success, 
and  that  there  was  danger  of  his  people  being 
brought  under  Baptist  influence,  he  began  to  oppose 
the  meeting  the  most  stubbornly  of  any  thing  I  ever 
witnessed.  He  stopped  his  people  from  coming  to 
the  meeting,  and  their  children  from  seeking  salva- 
tion. But  the  meeting  increased  in  interest  in  pro- 
portion to  the  opposition.  On  Wednesday,  June 
11th,  there  were  four  bright  professions  of  faith  in 
Christ,  and  God  carried  on  His  work  over  the  head 
of  all  opposition.  The  whole  toA\ai  seemed  to  be 
awakened.  Saturday,  June  14th,  seven  w;ere 
received  for  baptism.  Preached  at  night  on  bap- 
tism and  communion — the  first  duty  the  Lord 
requires  after  regenerativ^n  is  baptism. 

Sunday,  at  5  p.  m.  I  baptized  six  persons  in  the 
Catawba  Biver,  in  the  presence  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
hundred  peoplc^^ — the  first  scriptural  baptism  many 
e\'er  saw.  Hearing  of  sickness  in  my  family,  I 
returned  home. 

On  the  19th  I  received  a  telegram  to  return  to 
Lincolnton.  Saturday  I  returned  and  found  the 
meeting  going  on  with  great  interest.  Dr.  T.  Whit- 
field carried  on  the  meeting  in  my  absence.  On  Sun- 
day at  5  p.  m.  I  baptized  eleven  persons — seven 
males  and  four  females — in  the  Catawba  River,  in 
the  presence  of  a  vast  assembly.  Many  felt  and 
believed  that  immersion  alone  is  scriptural  baptism. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  199 

The  work  reached  into  the  country.     The  old  people 
said  there  never  was  snch  a  work  of  grace  here. 

On  Sunday  we  met  at  9  o'clock  and  organized  a 
Sunday-school  of  seven  teachers  and  thirty  scholars; 
some  sixty  persons  present.  At  5  p.  m.  I  baptized 
twelve  willing  souls  in  the  presence  of  a  vast  congre- 
gation, making  twenty-nine  during  the  meeting.  At 
night  those  who  had  been  baptized  stood  up  in  a 
semi-circle  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  and  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship  was  given.  It  was  a  lovely  and 
impressive  scene.  Among  this  number  were  Thomas 
and  James  Wilkie  and  wife,prominent  citizens  of  the 
town,  and  have  been  pillars  in  the  church  of  God. 
Miss  Mamie  Wilkie,  daughter  of  Brother  and  Sister 
James  Wilkie,  had  been  going  to  the  Methodist  Sun- 
day-school, and  had  about  made  up  her  mind  to  be  a 
Methodist  in  spite  of  all  that  could  be  said  or  done. 
She  was  about  half  mad  when  her  father  and  mother 
were  baptized,  and  at  the  same  time  fighting  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit,  and  turning  a  deaf  ear  to  the 
entreaties  of  her  friends.  After  ^the  right  hand  of 
fello'W^ship  had  been  extended,  her  father  and  mother 
among  the  number,  and  the  meeting  closed,  she  came 
down  the  aisle  heart-broken,  gave  me  her  hand  and 
asked  me  to  pray  for  her.  I  spent  the  night  with  Bro. 
Thomas  Wilkie,  her  uncle,  ^ext  morning  she  sent 
for  me  to  come  dovm.  to  their  house.  I  went,  and 
saw  her  standing  on  the  porch,  with  a  bright,  happy 
face,  and  the  love  of  Jesus  shed  abroad  in  her  heart. 


200  LIFE   AND   LABOES    OF 

About  12  o'clock  in  the  night,  in  her  room,  alone 
by  herself,  she  found  the  Savior  precious  to  her  soul. 
Then  she  was  anxious  to  be  baptized.  Pure  and 
iindefiled  religion  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  scrip- 
tural baptism. 

During  this  meeting  a  good  lady  who  had  been 
confirmed  in  the  Episcopal  Church  the  year  before, 
was  coming  to  the  meeting,  and  by  the  enlightening 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  brought  to  realize 
that  she  was  unregenerated  and  in  a  lost  condition; 
tJiat  she  was  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  but  out  of 
Christ.  She  requested  me  to  come  to  her  house  and 
talk  with  her  on  the  subject  of  her  soul's  salvation. 
She  was  coming  forward  for  prayer  in  great  distress. 
One  morning  I  w^ent  to  see  her,  and  soon  after  I  got 
there  Mr.  Wetmore,  the  Episcopal  preacher,  came  in.^ 
He  told  this  good  w^oman  that  he  was  her  spiritual 
adviser,  and  that  if  she  had  any  trouble  she  ought 
to  come  to  him — as  good  as  to  say  I  had  no  business 
there.  I  was  under  the  necessity  of  giving  him  a 
very  plain  talk  on  his  false  teaching;  told  him  he  had 
no  evidence  of  being  a  Christian.  I  asked  him  for 
his  Christian  experience,  his  travel  from  nature  to 
grace.  He  said  the  idea  of  having  a  gi^eat  burden 
for  sin,  and  knowing  anything  about  any  particular 
time  or  place  when  you  lost  it,  was  all  tomfoolery, 
and  that  if  that  was  religion  he  did  not  know  anything 
about  it.  "1^0,"  said  I,  "I  don't  believe  you  do  know 
anything   about   it,    and   unless   you   have   a   better 


KI.DER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  201 

• 

experience  of  grace  T  believe  the  devil  will  get  you, 
certain."  Said  T,  ^^You  are  the  blind  leading  the 
blind,  and  God  says  you  will  both  fall  into  the  ditch." 
I  offered  liim  the  Bible,  and  told  him  if  there  was  one 
syllable  in  all  the  Word  of  God  that  taught  the  bap- 
tism of  an  unbeliever  of  any  sort,  young  or  old,  I 
wanted  him  to  show  it  to  me.  He  never  attempted 
to  show  a  single  passage.  Said  I,  ^^Do  you  believe 
in  baptismal  regeneration,  as  taught  in  the  Episcopal 
prayer-book  ?"  ''Yes,"  said  he,  ''I  believe  every  word 
of  it."  "Then,"  said  T,  ''If  the  little  babe,  when 
poured  or  sprinkled,  is  regenerated,  made  an  heir  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  adopted  into  the  family 
of  God,  it  does  uot  need  any  repentance  or  faith. 
But  suppose  this  was  not  done,  as  most  assuredly  it 
was  not,  and  the  child  growls  up  to  be  a  man,  and 
turns  out  to  be  wicked  and  profligate,  but  has  been 
taught  from  the  cradle  that  it  was  made  a  child  of 
God  when  sprinkled  in  infancy,  repentance  and  faith 
are  excluded,  and  they  are  cheated  out  of  heaven  and 
happiness,  and  consequently  infant  sprinkling 
becomes  a  damnable  heresy." 

When  I  was  about  leaving,  "^ow,"  said  I,  "Mr. 
W.,  I  believe  the  PToly  Spirit  is  striving  with  this 
good  woman,  and  if  you  will  let  her  alone  she  will  be 
converted  and  saved."  She  said  that  after  I  left  he 
gave  her  a  tremendous  lecture,  but  said  my  plain 
talk  to  him  did  her  a  great  deal  of  good.  She  per- 
severed and  was  happily  converted,,  and  I  baptized 


202  LIFE   AND  LABORS    OF 

ter  and  her  husband — Brother  and  Sister  Ciishing. 
One  morning  Mr.Wetmore  was  going  through  town, 
and  met  a  fellow  on  the  street,  and  asked  him  if  he 
I'.ad  l>een  attending  the  Baptist  meeting.  Said  he  had. 
'•Well,  what  do  you  think  of  the  meeting?''  ''Oh," 
he  says,  "I  think  it  is  a  great  meeting  and  they  are 
doing  a  great  deal  of  good  up  there."  "Well,"  said 
the  minister,  '"is  anybody  joining  the  church  ?" 
"Yes,"  said  he.  "They  are  just  joining  the  church 
like  the  devil !"  I  believe  Mr.  Wetmore  will  have  to 
give  an  account  at  the  day  of  judgment  for  his  oppo- 
sition to  that  meeting. 

MEETING    AT     COOL     SPRING. 

I  began  a  meeting  at  Cool  Spring,  Rutherford 
County,  July  27,  187Q.  The  meeting  continued 
eleven  days ;  twenty-five  professions  of  f aitli  in 
Christ.  On  the  last  day  of  the  meeting  I  baptized 
fourteen.  Elder  J.  H.  •  Yarboro's  w^ife  among  the 
number — a  splendid  woman.  On  Saturday  during 
this  meeting  I  ran  down  to  Lincolnton,  and  baptized 
Miss  Mamie  Wilkie  and  Mrs.  Comwell.  This  sister 
lived  six  miles  in  the  country,  and  was  so  persecuted 
that  one  of  her  brothers  went  and  staid  with  her  to 
protect  her  till  she  could  be  baptized. 

Z^lEETING   AT    MT.    MORIAH. 

I  commenced  a  meeting  at  Mt.  Moriab,  in  Transyl- 
vania County,  August  31,  1879,  with  Elder  G.  W. 


ELDKK    F.    M.  .JOKDAN.  -i''o 

Brooks,  pastor.  The  meeting  continued  eight  days. 
1  preached  day  and  night.  The  church  seemed  to  be 
in  the  Spirit,  and  the  word  liad  free  course,  and  was 
glorified. 

Sunday,  September  7th,  we  met  at  10  a.  m.,  on 
the  bank  of  the  French  Broad  Kiver,  where  I  bap- 
tized nineteen  willing  souls  in  its  sparkling  waters — 
a  happy  scene. 

This  is  said  to  have  been  the  best  meeting  ever 
held  at  lit.  Moriah,  before  or  since. 

MEETIIN^G   IN    WAYNESVILLE. 

On  the  14th  of  September  I  began  a  meeting  in 
AVaynesville,  with  Bro.  E.  Allison,  pastor.  I 
preached  day  and  night  for  two  weeks.  On  Sunday, 
the  last  day  of  the  meeting,  T  baptized  nine  near  the 
church,  in  the  rippling  waters  of  Kichland  Creek. 
This  was  a  good  meeting.  I  never  labored  with  a 
more  congenial  spirit  than  Brother  Allison,  always 
full  of  the  Spirit  and  of  faith.  He  and  I  have  spent 
many  happy  seasons  together.  He  had  charge  of  a 
good  church  and  people  in  Waynesville. 

During  this  meeting  I  caught  some  fine  fish  in 
Kichland  Creek.  Jesus  tells  us  of  fishers  of  fishes, 
and  fishers  of  men,  so  I  was  both. 

MEETING    IN     CHARLOTTE. 

I  began  a  meeting  in  Charlotte,  October,  5,  1879. 
The  meeting  continued  ten  days;  there  were  several 


'204r  LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 

professions  of  religion.      Carey  Dowd  made  a  bright 
profession  of  religion  during  this  meeting. 

MEETIXG   AT    UNION    III1>L,    DAVIDSON    COUNTY. 

Old  ^Ir.  Xicholas  Williams,  a  man  of  wealth, 
intelligence,  and  influence,  and  uncle  of  Elder  John 
K.  Connally,  lived  on  the  Yadkin  River,  near  Union 
Hill  Church.  Brother  Connally  Avas  greatly  con- 
cerned for  his  salvation,  and  requested  me  to  go  to 
Union  Hill,  and  hold  a  meeting  for  his  special  bene- 
fit. I  went,  and  began  a  meeting  there,  December 
13th.  It  was  a  very  rainy  season,  the  streams  were 
swollen,  so  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  to  church.  The 
Yadkin  River  was  out  of  its  banks.  I  preached  a 
week,  and  the  last  day  of  the  meeting  baptized  Miss 
Emma  Haynes  in  the  Yadkin  River — a  bright  yoimg 
lady.  T  did*  all  I  could  for  Mr.  Williams,  but  don't 
know  whether  he  ever  professed  any  hope  of  heaven 
or  not.  This  was  a  long  and  wearisome  journey 
through  the  rain  and  mud. 

This  closed  the  labors,  toils  and  sacrifices  of 
another  year. 

ISSO.-  -On  the  4th  of  January,  1880,  I  began  a 
meeting  in  Spartanburg,  S.  C,  with  Elder  J.  L. 
Vass,  pastor.  This  meeting  continued  three  weeks. 
There  were  quite  a  number  of  professions  of  faith  in 
Christ.  The  last  night  of  the  meeting.  Brother  Vass 
bap'izcd  eleven  lovely  young  people.     Brother  Vass 


ELDER  F.  M.   JOKDAN.  205 

was  a  good  financier,  and  I  considered  him  a  wise 
leader  and  good  pastor. 

OUR  NEW   HOME. 

1  purchased  a  lot  at  Hendersonville,  and  built  a 
good  house  upon  it.  The  7tli  of  February,  1880,  we 
moved  into  our  new  home,  where  we  lived  five  years 
and  sent  our  children  to  Judson  College. 

MEETI?s^G   IN   WADESBORO. 

Sunday,  the  29th  of  February,  I  began  a  meeting 
in  AYadesboro.  My  home  was  w4th  Dr.  Covington. 
The  church  was  in  rather  a  cold  state,  and  the  stand- 
ard of  morality  and  piety  at  a  low  ebb.  Here  I  met 
witli  many  old  friends.  On  Saturday  I  went  nine 
miles  in  the  country  and  dined  with  Charlotte 
McBride,  the  first  person  I  ever  baptized.  At  the 
close  of  the  first  week  six  men  had  made  a  profession 
of  religion,  and  the  church  was  greatly  revived.  But 
there  were  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way — wicked 
professors  of  religion,  billiard-tables  and  grog  shops. 
In  some  parts  of  the  town  every  third  door  is  a  grog 
shop.  T  always  made  it  a  rule  not  to  walk  on  the 
side  of  the  street  where  there  was  a  grog  shop,  but 
I  tell  you  it  was  close  dodging  where  every  third  door 
on  both  sides  was  a  grog  shop.  The  meeting  con- 
tinued two  weeks,  some  were  received  for  baptism, 
and  the  meeting  closed. 


206  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

MEETING  AT   LILESVILLE. 

On  the  22ncl  of  ]\[arcli  I  began  a  meeting  with 
G.  W.  Ilaniion,  pastor.  Here  is  where  I  lived  and 
taught  school  in  1854,  and  I  was  now  in  the  midst  of 
my  old  patrons  and  pupils.  I  was  suffering  with 
pain  in  niy  side,  and  Brother  Harmon  preached  some 
good  sermons  during  the  meeting.  There  were  sev- 
eral professions,  and  some  received  for  baptism.  Sim- 
da  v,  at  10  a.  m.,  I  baptized  five  persons,  Mrs. 
Ingram,  who  had  been  a  Methodist  for  many  years, 
among  them. 

MEETING  AT  ASHPOLE^  liOBESON  COUNTY. 

Here  Brother  Stinceon  Ivey  had  a  fiourishing 
school  in  a  good  neighborhood.  The  church  seemed 
to  be  rather  lukewarm  in  the  outset,  but  warmed  up 
as  the  meeting  progressed.  The  work  of  conviction 
and  conversion  soon  appeared  in  all  classes  in  the 
community,  and  the  meeting  went  on  in  the  power 
and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit.  Husbands  and 
wives,  parents  and  children,  were  coming  to  Christ, 
and  it  was  a  time  of  great  rejoicing.  Most  of  the 
professions  were  made  away  from  the  church,  at 
home,  and  in  the  woods,  when  the  penitents  were 
alone  by  themselves,  and  then  they  would  tell  volun- 
tarily of  the  love  of  Jesus  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts, 
because  they  could  nr)t  keep  it  secret.  This  has  been 
characteristic   of  nearly   all   my   meetings,   which   I 


ELDEK  F.  M.   JORDAN.  207 

think  is  much  more  hoi^efiil  than  this  handshaking 
and  pulling  out  a  confession  of  Christ.  I  preached 
day  and  night  for  four  weeks. 

Saturday,  May  8th,  was  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer  for  a  revival  of  religion  in  the  church  and 
community.  There  were  professions  at  almost  every 
service. 

On  Sunday,  May  23d,  I  baptized  twenty-five  per- 
sons— twelve  men  and  thirteen  ladies.  One  Presby- 
terian and  one  Methodist  among  the  number.  There 
were  more  than  fifty  converts. 

I  preached  my  farewell  sermon,  and  the  young 
converts,  brethren,  sisters,  and  many  poor  sinners 
gave  me  the  parting  ha,nd.  i^ever  shall  I  forget  the 
sainted  Brother  Ivey;  the  Floyds,  the  Inmans,  the 
Mitchells,  the  Pittmans,  the  Thompsons,  and  a  host 
of  others,  with  their  dear  children,  and  Brother 
Ivey's  school.  We  shall  meet  again  in  the  sweet  bye 
and  bye. 

I  returned  from  Ashpole  to  Lumberton,  and 
remained  there  and  preached  a  week;  had  a  good 
meeting,  at  the  close  of  which  I  baptized  Miss  Cherry 
Godwin  and  Miss  Ellen  Cellars,  two  lovely  young 
women,  Methodists. 

On  June  8th  I  attended  Commencement  at  Wake 
forest.  Met  with  Board  of  Trustees.  J.  D.  Boone 
delivered  the  address  before  the  Alumni  Association. 
The  address  before  the  Literary  Societies  was  deliv- 
ered by  Dr.  T).  R.  Wallace,  of  Waco,  Texas.     The 


208  LIFE  AND  LABOKS   OF 

Annual  Sermon  was  delivered  at  night  by  Wayland 
Ilojt,  D.  D.,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

I  began  a  meeting  in  Winston,  June  20th,  mth 
IT.  A.  Brown,  pastor.  The  meeting  continued 
twelve  days.  Tlie  church  Avas  greatly  revived;  sev- 
eral professions  of  religion.  I  baptized  three  lovely 
young  people.  It  is  always  a  benediction  to  meet 
my  many  friends  in  Winston,  where  I  have  labored 
so  much  for  so  many  years. 

Sunday,  July  4th,  I  bee-an  a  meeting  in  Greens- 
boro, which  continued  a  week.  A  very  refreshing, 
delightful  meeting.  At  the  close  I  baptized  Miss 
Hattie  Sampson,  from  a  Presbyterian  family.  Miss 
Mary  Smith  and  her  brother. 


LILESVILLE. 

I 

I  began  a  meeting  at  Lilesville,  August  8th,  which 
continued  ten  days.  A  very  delightful  meeting. 
At  the  close  T  baptized  eight  persons.  Mr.  Weldon 
Cox  and  wife,  Mrs.  Jane  Liles,  and  Mrs.  Ann  Henry 
among  the  number. 

BENNETTSVILLE^  S.    C. 

Sunday,  August  22nd,  I  began  a  meeting  in 
Bennettsville,  with  J.  A.  W.  Thomas,  pastor.  My 
home  during  the  meeting  was  with  my  nephew.  Dr. 
John   L.   Jordan.      The  weather  was  unusually  hot 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  209 

and  oppressive,  and  the  mosqiiitx>es,  bugs  and  gnats, 
yerj  numerous  and  troublesome.  Great  coldness  and 
want  of  the  Spirit  in  the  church,  and  sinners  hard- 
ened in  sin.  I  continued  to  preach  day  and  night, 
but  little  demonstration  upon  the  part  of  either  saint 
or  sinner.  Such  a  highly-favored  people,  and  so  far 
from  God.  ^    • 

1  find  these  items  in  .njy  diary :  ^^More  interest ; 
some  manifest  an  interest  in  their  soul's  salvation. 
But  it  is  with  great  difficulty  that  I  can  keep  the  bugs 
and  gnats  out  of  my  ears,  eyes  and  mouth.  At  a 
great  loss  whether  to  undertake  to  continue  the  meet- 
ing after  the  first  week  or  not!  I  feel  very  much 
like^  that  if  I  get  out  of  this  countiy  I  will  not  come 
back  any  more  in  hot  weather.  About  the  only 
redeeming  feature  is  the  scuppernong  grapes.  The 
meeting  goes  on,  but  sinners  hard  to  move.  Worldly- 
mindness  a  deadly  hinderance.  More  interest,  but 
oh,  how  hardened  sinners  are.  Sunday,  September 
5th,  preached  my  farewell  sermon.  Four  profes- 
sions of  religion,  and  three  received  for  baptism.'^ 

Of  a  meeting  in  Greensboro,  my  diary  says :  Sun- 
day, September  26th,  I  began  a  meeting  in  Greens- 
boro. Prayer-meeting  at  10  a.  m.,  and  preaching 
at  night.  The  church  is  comparatively  cold  and  sin- 
ners hard  to  move.  Thursday  night,  September 
30th,  I  baptized  Sister  Crump,  who  had  been  a  very 
ardent   Methodist.     Monday  night,    October   4th,    I 

14 


210  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

preachocl  with  gi-eat  liberty.  Mrs.  Rosa  Houston 
came  for^vard  for  prayer,  and  made  a  bright  profes- 
sion  of  religion.  She  was  so  bright  and  happy. 
Wednesday  night,  preached  on  the  sin  of  covetous- 
ness.  Some  thought  a  little  soothing-syrup  would  be 
good  after  such  a  sermon  as  that.  Sunday,  October 
10th,  preached  at  11  a.  m.  At  3  p.  m.,  met  mth 
the  church  to  consult  with  reference  to  calling  a  pasr 
tor.  Preached  my  farewell  sermon  at  night.  Thus 
closed  a  good  meeting  of  two  weeks.'' 

MINERAL  SPRING^  S.   C. 

T  began  a  meeting  at  Mineral  Spring,  October 
23,  1S80.  This  is  a  good  community,  in  a  fine  sec- 
tion of  countr;^^  The  church  Avas  in  a  lively  spirit- 
ual condition.  God's  regenerating  work  soon 
appeared,  and  the  meeting  went  on  with  spirit  and 
powder. 

On  Sunday,  November  7th,  I  baptized  fourteen 
interesting  persons.  One  of  this  niunber  was  our 
young  Bro.  James  Lucas,  who  graduated  at  Wake 
Forest,  and  I  think  is  now  teaching  at  Bethel  Hill, 
Person  Cyounty.  Bro.  H.  G.  Lucas  and  I  were  bom 
and  raised  within  a  mile  of  each  other,  in  Mont- 
gomery' Coimty,  and  it  w^as  a  great  pleasure  to  enjoy 
his  hospitable  home,  and  talk  of  the  scenes  of  our 
childhood  days,  and  of  the  past.  The  parting  scene 
of  this  meeting  was  a  melting  time. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  211 

JERUSALEM. 

i>om  this  place  I  went  to  Jerusalem,  in  Davie 
County,  and  stopped  with  Bro.  S.  J.  Tatiira.  Here 
I  aided  Bro.  Conrad  in  a  good  meeting  of  eight  days. 
At  the  close  I  baptized  eight  persons  in  South  Yad- 
kin Kiver,  at  Brother-  Lindsay's  mill.  The  Lord 
granted  us  a  parting  blessing.  Here  I  had  a  good 
time  with  Brother  Godfrey  and  S.  J.  Latum,  W.  B. 
Clement,  the  Eatons,  and  many  others  of  precious 
memory.  From  here  Brother  Conrad  and  I  went 
to  Farming-ton,  in  Davie  County,  preached  a  week, 
and  had  a  good  meeting.  Oh,  what  a  good  church 
and  people.  Brethren  B.  F.  Eaton,  Dr.  Wiseman, 
Furchis,  Ptich,  Charles,  and  Sister  S.  O.  Latum, 
wife  of  Bro.  S.  O.  Latum,  who  was  my  schoolmate 
at  Waive  Forest,,  and  one  of  the  noblest  men  of  earth. 
Returned  home  after  an  absence  of  two  months  and 
four  days. 

LITTLE    RIVER. 

On  the  17th  of  December  Bro.  ^N'elson  Bowen  and 
I  began  a  meeiting  at  Little  River,  Lransylvania 
County.  Lhe  weather  was  cold  and  sloppy,  but  the 
church  and  people  were  colder  than  the  weather,  in 
comparatively  a  frozen  state.  Lhe  meeting  lasted  * 
eight  days.  Lhe  old  stovepipe  was  in  a  bad  state, 
and  I  never  saw  a  congregation  and  preachers  smoked 
so  badly  in  all  my  life.  I  never  cried  as  much  in 
any  meeting,  I  don't  think,  but  the  tears  were  brought 


212  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

by  tliat  miserable  smoke,  not  by  the  Spirit.  It 
reminded  me  of  smoking  a  gromid-bog  out  of  a  hol- 
low tree. 

I  find  this  note  in  my  diary:  'The  church  and 
people  in  the  valleys  of  Crabb  Creek  and  Little 
River  are  in  a  deplorable  condition,  spiritually."  I 
said  one  thing  there,  for  which  these  good"  people 
never  have  forgiven  me:  ^That  I  had  been  looking 
for  the  devil's  headquarters,  and  that  I  believed  I 
had  found  them." 

MEETING  AT  ENON. 

Sunday,  January  16. — I  began  a  meeting  at 
Enon,  Transylvania  County,  with  W.  W.  Wells, 
pastor.  The  church  was  in  a  fine  spiritual  condi- 
tion, and  the  meeting  went  on  with  great  power  for 
two  weeks.  At  the  close  of  the  first  week  Brotlier 
Wells  was  called  away,  and  I  carried  on  the  meeting. 
Quite  a  number  made  a  profession  of  saving  faith  in 
Christ.  On  Friday  of  the  second  week  I  preached 
especially  to  the  young  converts,  with  reference  to 
their  uniting  with  the  church,  as  was  my  custom  to 
teach  them  Christian  duty,  and  their  obligation  to 
Christ.  After  the  sermon  tliirteen  lovely  young 
people  were  received  for  baptism.  This  was  a 
hapj^y  meeting.  T  was  very  much  worn  from  tlie 
arduous  labors  of  the  meeting,  and  yet  happy  in  iiiy 
work. 

Sunday,  .laniiai'v  ?)0. — A  large  concourse  of  peo 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  213 

pie  assembled  at  the  water  near  Brother  Beck's  mill. 
It  was  m_v  pleasure  to  bury  with  Christ  in  baptism 
fonrteen  happv  sonls ;  all  promising  young  people. 
It  was  a  happy  and  impressive  scene. 

We  repaired  to  the  house  of  God,  where  I  extended 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  tliose  baptized; 
preached  my  farewell  se.rmon,  sang  a  parting  hymn, 
and  the  Lord  granted  us  a  great,  parting  blessing. 

I  have  been  intimately  acquainted  with  most,  if 
not  all,  these  converts  through  all  these  years,  and 
know  that  they  have  been  burning  and  shining  lights 
in  the  church.  One  of  them.  Miss  Ida.  Osborne,  is 
now  the  wife  of  a  Baptist  preacher,  Brother  Bobeson, 
of  Gaffney  City,  S.  C.  During  this  meeting,  I 
dined  and  spent  the  night  with  Mr.  Thomas  S. 
Wood,  who  manages  Mr.  Lowdnes's  fine  farm  on  the 
French  Broad  Biver.  He  now  has  on  hand  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-two  head  of  cattle,  and  is  fattening 
fifty-five  fine  steers ;  has  one  hundred  fine  sheep  with 
other  fine  stock.  Mr.  Wood  was  brought  up  on  a 
farm  in  Scotland.  Says  they  cultivated  fifteen 
hundred  acres,  had  three  hundred  acres  in  turnips, 
and  six  hundred  acres  in  oats,  and  had  sixty-three 
pairs  of  horses  for  the  plow.  He  is  the  best  farmer 
in  this  country. 

BEULAH. 

The  18th  of  February,  I  began  a  meeting  at  Beu- 
lah,  Henderson  County.     This  was  a  good  spiritual 


214  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

meeting  of  eleven  days.  The  church,  was  greatly 
revived  and  strengthened.  I  baptized  six  bright 
young  people  in  the  French  Broad  Kiver,  and  closed 
a  glorious  meeting  at  Beulah. 

BEAR    SWAMP^    S.    C. 

On  March  10th,  I  began  a  meeting  at  Bear  Swamp, 
Marion  County,  S.  C.  Here  we  had  a  glorious  meet- 
ing with  a  liberal-hearted,  whole-souled  people.  I 
preached  day  and  night  for  eleven  days.  Baptized 
six  yoimg  people  of  great  promise,  viz. :  Suphronia 
A.  Daniels,  Leonora  M.  Daniels,  Mattie  Ayers,  Miss 
Watts,  Edward  Hill,  and  Aligood  Coner.  The 
church  and  friends  paid  me  $93.43,  cash,  for  eleven 
days'  service.  Here  I  want  to  record  the  names  of 
some  of  these  good  people,  whose  hospitality  and 
kindness  I  so  much  enjoyed:  J.  X.  Page,  E.  B. 
Ford,  Enoch  Ayers,  T.  B.  Ayers,  D.  M.  Shaw,  Lee 
Daniel,  J.  D.  Boyers,  and  others. 

LAURINBURG. 

On  March  23rd,  I  began  a  meeting  in  Laurinburg. 
The  second  night  of  the  meeting  Miss  Sue  Oglesby 
made  a  bright  profession  of  religion.  She  promised 
me  two  weeks  before  that  she  would  quit  dancing, 
and  seek  the  Savior.  The  meeting  continued  nine 
days ;  there  were  several  professions  of  religion.  On 
March  31st  I  baptized  three  interesting  young  peo- 
ple: Miss  Sue  Oglesby,  Alfred  Vernon,  and  Walter 


ELDER  F.  M.   JOKDAIT.  216 

Falsted.     My  home  during  this  meeting  was  with 
Bro.  L.  !N^.  Lucas. 

ASHPOLE. 

On  the  3rd  of  April  I  began  a  meeting  at  Ashpole, 
Robeson  County,  with  Bro.  Haynes  Lennon,  pastor. 
The  meeting  continued  a  week ;  there  were  nine  pro- 
fessions of  religion.  At  the  close  I  baptized  six 
lovely  young  people.  Brother  Lennon  is  the  pioneer 
preacher,  known  and  loved  all  over  that  country.  Had 
another  delightful  meeting  and  visit  with  the  good 
people  of  Ashpole. 

MEETING  AT    FAYETTEVILLE. 

My  diary  says:  "Sunday,  May  1,  1881,  I  began 
a  meeting  in  Fayetteville,  with  Brother  Ebletoft, 
pastor.  The  interest  increases  as  the  meeting  pro- 
gresses. Soon  the  work  of  conviction  and  conversion 
appears,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  manifesting  His 
presence,  and  willingness  to  bless.  The  congrega- 
tions are  large,  solemn  and  attentive.  Oh,  for  a 
genuine  revival  of  religion  in  the  old  town  of  Fayette- 
ville. I  feel  gTeatly  fatigued  on  account  of  long- 
continued  and  arduous  labors..  Little  Mary  A. 
Atkinson  is  the  first  convert  in  the  meeting.  So 
bright  and  happy,  such  a  heavenly  smile  upon  her 
countenance.  Mrs.  Branch  makes  a  bright  profes- 
sion of  faith,  and  seems  to  be  so  bright  and  happy, 
^i'hus   God   is  carrying  on  His   work.     Up   to  this 


21f>  LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF 

Stage  of  the  meeting  not  a  single  young  man  has 
r  lanifested  any  interest  in  his  soul.  A  want  of  good 
family  government  and  good  discipline  in  the 
clnirches  is  the  bane  of  the  churches  and  society  at 
this  day." 

An  incident  of  this  meeting  I  shall  never  forget 
On  the  evening  of  Memorial  Day,  I  preached  on 
religious  privileges  from  the  text,  ^^And  thou  Caper- 
naum which  art  exalted  to  heaven/'  etc.  I  had 
three  men,  one  from  Tyre,  one  from  Capernaum,  and 
cue  from  Fayetteville  to  meet  in  hell  and  relate  their 
experiences.  There  was  an  old  negro  in  the  gal- 
lery- who  liad  been  a  regular  attendant  for  more  than 
thirty  years — since  the  days  of  James  McDaniel. 
When  the  fellow  from  Tyre  got  through  with  relat- 
ing his  experience,  the  old  negro  gave  a  gToan  that 
was  heard  all  over  the  house,  and  greatly  amused 
some  of  the  people.  When  the  man  from  Caper- 
naum got  through,  his  privileges  and  blessings  had 
been  so  much  greater  than  the  man's  from  Tyre,  that 
the  old  negro  gave  a  much  louder  and  more  prolonged 
groan.  By  this  time  many  of  the  yoimg  people  were 
laughing.  Then  the  man  from  Fayetteville  began 
his  story.  He  told  of  how  he  was  born  and  reared 
imder  the  best  of  religious  influences  in  Fayette- 
ville ;  lioAv  his  parents,  teachers  and  friends  had 
urged  him  to  give  his  heart  to  Christ,  and  how  the 
Rev.  ?j  ames  JMcDaniel  had  often  broken  his  heart  by 
Iris  pure  gospel  preaching.     Then  he  told  about  the 


EI^DER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  2 IT 

war  tJirougli  which  he  had  passed  imhiirt,  of  the 
burning  of  the  arsenal  in.  Fajetteville,  then  of  that 
verv  memorial  day,  of  Gen.  Wharton  Green's  speech, 
of  the  meeting  in  the  Baptist  Church,  of  the  sermons, 
the  prayers  and  entreaties  of  his  friends,  and  finally 
said  that  he  had  turned  his  back  upon  all  these  priv- 
ile^r'es  and  blessings,  and  died  without  God  and  with- 
01  It  hope,  and  was  now  in  hell  because  of  his  own 
lauJt.  By  this  time  the  pepole  seemed  to  have  for- 
gotten the  old  negi'O,  and  the  silence  was  almost  pain- 
tnl.  But  the  old  man  could  hardly  stand  it.  In 
tones  the  most  a^\^ul  and  most  awe-inspiring  I  have 
ever  heard,  he  exclaimed  with  loud  and  long  empha- 
sis, ^^My  God !"  The  eifect  was  tremendous.  I 
had  to  close  the  sermon  and  let  the  people  go  home, 
some  laughing,  some  crying,  and  all  apparently 
scared. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


Rockingham— Fines  Creek— Morganton  —Abbott's  Creek — Old 
Fort  —  Cane  Creek  —  Toisnot  —  Wilson  —  Ham  Iton  —  Ply- 
mouth—East Fork— Smiday  Meetings — 1888— Monroe— 
Polkton — Morganton— Smoky  Hollow. 


MEETING   IN    ROCKINGHAM. 

I  began  a  meeting  in  Rockingham,  May  22,  1881. 
I  want  to  give  an  account  of  this  meeting  just  about 
as  it  occurred,  as  a  sample  of  most  of  the  meetings 
which  I  have  conducted.  To  elaborate,  or  give  par- 
ticulars of  all  the  meetings,  would  require  several 
volumes. 

I  preached  at  11  a.  m.  Large,  attentive  congre- 
gation ;  dined  with  H.  C.  Dockery ;  preached  at  night, 
some  interest  upon  the  part  of  sinners.  The  church 
seemed  to  be  longing  for  a  great  revival  of  religion 
in  Rockingham.  Spent  the  night  with  H.  C. 
Dockery. 

Monday. — Prayer-meeting  at  10  a.  m. ;  dined 
with  Sister  Il^orthcott ;  preached  at  night ;  some  came 
forward  for  prayer ;  good  meeting.  Oh,  for  the 
power  of  Elijah's  God,  to  move  the  people. 

Tuesday. — Warm  prayer-meeting  at  10  a.  m. ; 
dined  with  Brother  Register  at  the  hotel.  Preached 
at  night ;  six  penitents — ^great  solemnity. 

Wednesday. — Prayer-meeting  at  10  a.  m. ;  dined 
with  Mr.  Moore.     Preached  at  night.     The  interest 


220  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

seems  to  be  spreading,  and  the  number  of  enquiring 
souls  increasing.  But  Oh,  how  hard  the  men  are; 
folloAving  the  devices  of  satan,  led  captive  at  his  will. 

Thursday. — Prayer-meeting  at  11  a.  m.  Dined 
with  Brother  McCall.  Preached  at  night — ^great 
solemnity — quite  a  number  came  forward  for  prayer. 
!^^ay  God's  regenerating  work  appear,  and  may  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord  our  God  be  upon  us. 

Friday. — Good  prayer-meeting.  Preached  with 
good  liberty  at  night  from  the  words  of  the  jailer: 
'^What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  V^  Thirteen  young 
ladies  came  forward  for  prayer,  and  seemed  deeply 
distressed  with  reference  to  the  salvation  of  their 
souls. 

Saturday. — Good  prayer-meeting.  Dined  with 
H.  C.  Dockerv.  Preached  to  a  crowded  house  at 
night ;  a  large  number  of  penitents,  and  two  profes- 
sions of  faith  in  Christ.  Oh,  for  power  with  God, 
that  we  may  have  power  w4th  men. 

Sunday. — Attended  the  Sabbath-school — delighted 
with  the  exercises ;  twelve  classes,  with  an  average  of 
about  ten  pupils  to  the  class.  Preached  at  11  a.  m. 
to  a  large  congregation.  Much  tenderness — nine- 
teen came  forward  for  prayer. 

Preached  at  night  to  a  large  and  profoundly 
attentive  congregation.  Twenty  came  forward  for 
prayer,  and  there  were  apparently  six  happy  con- 
versions.     The  meeting  to-night  was    one    of    great 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  221 

power.  Some  promising  joimg  men  among  the  con- 
verts. 

Monday. — Prayer-meeting  at  9.  Dined  with 
Mr.  McKinnon.  Preached  at  night.  One  profes- 
sion of  faith  in  Christ,  others  deeply  distressed. 
God  is  upholding  me  in  a  most  Avonderful  manner. 

Tuesday. — Precious  prayer-meeting.  Dined  with 
Miss  Mary  Cole;  think  she  is  a  Christian,  but  she  is 
so  doubtful.  The  Lord  give  her  trust  and  confidence 
to  follow  Him.  Preached  at  night  with  some  degree 
of  liberty.  The  w^ord  seemed  to  have  free  course, 
and  sinners  were  deeply  moved.  Two  professions  of 
faith  in  Christ.  The  leaven  seems  to  be  permeating 
the  town  and  community. 

Wednesday. — Prayer-meeting  very  precious. 
Dined  with  John  C.  ISTichols ;  a  delightful  visit. 
After  reading  God's  word,  and  engaging  in  prayer, 
old  Sister  I^ichols  and  two  of  her  daughters  got  so 
happy  that  they  shouted,  and  praised  the  Lord  for 
a  considerable  length  of  time..  Don't  know  when  I 
have  been  so  happy  myself.  Preached  at  night; 
three  professions  of  religion,  and  several  new  peni- 
tents. 

Thursday. — Ver)^  tender  prayer-meeting.  Dined 
with  Mr.  P.  T.  Long  at  the  hotel ;  good  meeting  at 
night. 

Friday. — Warm  prayer-meeting.  Dined  with 
Brother  Atkinson.  Preached  at  night.  The  work 
of  conviction  and  regeneration  seem  to  be  going  on 


222  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

in  toA\Ti  and  coiintrv.  The  chiTrch  is  greatly  revived 
and  strengthened,  and  the  Sabhath-school  has  shared 
largely  in  the  blessings  of  salvation — such  happy 
children. 

Saturday. — This  is  my  birthday — fifty-one  years 
of  age.  How  fast  these  periods  are  being  numbered. 
Took  my  birthday  dinner  with  old  Sister  Alfred 
Dockery,  and  preached  at  Cartlidges  Creek  in  tJie 
afternoon,  where  I  taught  school  in  1856.  Saw  sev- 
eral of  my  pupils  who  now  have  families.  Spent 
the  day  delightfully ;  saw  old  Aunt  Hannah  Coving- 
ton, now  80  years  old.  Preached  in  to^^m  at  night — 
remarkably  good  meeting.  Three  professions  of  reli- 
gion ;  eight  received  for  baptism. 
»  Sunday. — Delightful  meeting  with  the  Simday- 
school,  which  numbers  one  hundred  and  forty-six. 
Preached  at  11  a.  m.,  to  a  large  congregation.  One 
received  for  baptism.  Dined  with  Sister  I^orthcott. 
At  5  p.  m.,  I  baptized  sixteen  willing  souls  in  the 
presence  of  at  least  eight  hundred  people — two  aged 
mothers,  the  others  interesting  young  people.  It  was 
a  happy  and  impressive  occasion ;  just  tlie  same  num- 
ber I  baptized  at  a  previous  meeting.  At  night  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship  was  given  to  twenty-two, 
and  this  was  a  happy  time.  I  then  preached  my 
farewell  sermon  ;  one  profession  of  religion,  and  tiiree 
received  for  baptism.  How  different  the  surround- 
ings from  the  first  time  I  preached  in  the  old  court- 
house in  Kockingham.      Then,  no  church,  no  house 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  223 

of  worship,  no  Sunday-school.  Now  a  good  house,  a 
good  membership,  a  good  Sunday-school,  with  a  set- 
tled pastor,  and  the  valley  blossoming  as  the  rose. 
Bro.  T.  Harrison  is  the  pastor,  the  same  good  brother 
with  whom  I  labored  in  Hertford,  and  whom  I  told 
at  the  water  that  Philip  must  have  been  a  Baptist 
preacher. 

FINES   CREEK. 

Julv  31. — I  besran  a  meeting:  at  Fines  Creek,  in 
Haywood  County,  which  continued  eight  days.  On 
Sunday,  August  6th,  at  9  o'clock  a.  m.,  I  married  a 
couple,  and  at  10  a.  m.,  I  baptized  a  young  lady. 

MORGANTON. 

September  6,  1881. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Morgan- 
t-on,  with  Elder  J.  R.  Jones,  pastor.  This  place  had 
been  long  neglected,  and  the  Baptists  were  strug- 
ling  to  get  a  foothold.  They  had  built  a  small  house 
right  in  the  business  part  of  to^vn.  This  meeting 
continued  ten  days,  with  prayer-meeting  in  the  after- 
noon and  preaching  at  night.  There  was  great  indif- 
ference upon  the  part  of  professors  of  religion. 

Sunday, September  11. — At  4  p.  m.,I  baptized  Mrs. 
Chandler  in  the  Catawba  River,  at  the  McDowell 
Ford.  Slio  arose  from  the  liquid  grave  with  a 
heavenly  smile  upon  her  countenance.  She  is  the 
first  white  person  ever  baptized  at  Morganton.  Mr. 
Chandler  and  the  oldest  daughter  made  a  profession 


224-  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

of  religion.  Mr.  Chandler  and  Mrs.  Ross  were 
received  for  baptism,  and  the  church  and  cause  doubt- 
less greatly  strengthened.      From  here  I  go  to 

Abbott's   creek^  Davidson   county. 

I  began  a  meeting  at  Abbott's  Creek,  September 
20,  1S81.  The  brethren  and  sisters  wept  for  joy  on 
our  arrival.  The  church  is  tender-hearted,  and  full 
of  the  Spirit,  and  the  blessing  of  God  was  manifest 
in  every  service,  and  the  interest  increased  to  the 
very  last.  The  hearts  of  sinners  were  easily  touched 
and  tendered,  and  the  work  of  regeneration  soon 
appeared.  Mourners  were  comforted  and  Christians 
rejoiced  and  praised  the  Lord.  Almost  every  sinner 
who  came  to  the  meeting  seemed  to  be  deeply 
impressed.  Some  professions  and  some  received  for 
baptism  at  almost  every  service.  Six  professions  at 
one  service.  Some  thirty  souls  made  a  bright  pro- 
fession of  a  saving  faith  in  Christ,  and  thirteen 
received  for  baptism. 

September  27th,  a  large  congregation  met  at 
Brother  Beeson's  Mill,  where  it  was  my  pleasure  to 
bury  with  Christ  in  baptism,  nine  happy  souls.  The 
scene  was  beautiful  and  impressive.  We  repaired 
to  the  church,  where  I  gave  the  right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship and  preached  my  farewell  sermon,  and  amid 
sobs  and  tears  bade  the  people  farewell. 

Just  eleven  years  ago,  I  baptized  thirty-two  at  this 
place.     I  shall  carry  in  my  heart,  to  the  grave  the 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  225 

Beosons,  the  Teagaies,  the  Clinards,  the  Traynhams, 
the  Spiirgeons,  and  a  host  of  other  good  people  all 
around  old  Abbott's  Creek. 

I  hope  I  will  be  pardoned  for  tlie  following  inci- 
dent. I  made  an  appointment  to  preach  at  a  brick 
school-house  in  that-  country.  It  was  night,  and  to 
many  I  was  a  stranger.  The  house  was  packed,  and 
every  eye  turned  to  see  the  preacher.  I  walked  in 
and  advanced  down  the  aisle.  Two  girls  were  sit- 
ting on  the  end  of  a  bench  with  an  intense  gaze  fixed 
upon  me.      One  of  them  said,  "Lord,  what  a  pretty 


man." 


OLD    FORT. 

September  29,  1881. — I  began  a  meeting  at  Old 
Fort-  The  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to  be  with  us  right 
in  the  beginning.  Sunday,  October  2nd,  the  fourth 
day  of  the  meeting,  we  met  on  the  bank  of  Mill  Creek^ 
at  4  p.  m.,  where  it  was  my  happy  privilege  to  bury 
with  Christ  in  baptism,  six  willing  souls,  the  first 
ever  baptized  at  Old  Fort — four  men  and  two  young 
ladies.  The  meeting  went  on  tlirough  another  week 
in  the  power  and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit.  There 
were  deep  and  pungent  convictions  for  sin,  and  bright, 
happy  professions  of  deliverance  from  the  power  and 
dominion  of  sin. 

Sunday,  October  9. — At  4  p.  m.,  I  baptized  six 
ladies  in  the  clear,  sparkling  waters  of  Mill  Creek — 

15 


226  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

two  mothers,  and  four  yoimg  ladies ;  twenty-one  pro- 
fessions, fifteen  received  and  twelve  baptized;  Capt. 
W.  P.  Terrell   was  one  of  this  number. 

After  attending  the  meeting  of  the  Western  Con- 
vention at  Franklin,  in  Macon  County,  and  preach- 
ing a  week  following  the  Convention,  for  which  the 
bretliren  gave  me  a  donkey  and  five  '  dollars,  I 
returned  home  after  an  absence  of  nearly  two  months. 

CANE   CREEK. 

October  30. — I  beiran  a  meeting:  at  Cane  Creek, 


Bimcombe  County,  which  continued  one  week,  at  the 
close  of  which  I  baptized  four  persons.  Have  spent 
two  days  and  nights  at  home  in  two  months. 


TOISNOT. 


After  a  meeting  of  two  weeks  at  Toisnot,  with  no 


visible  results,  I  went  to 


WILSON. 


My  diary  says:  ''Elder  Joseph  E.  Carter  is  pas- 
tor of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Wilson,  and  lives  in  the 
town.  I  stop  and  preach  a  week  with  him.  It  was 
a  delightful  meeting  and  a  precious  season  of  grace. 
But  there  are  so  many  isms  to  contend  with — infidel- 
ity, the  anti-mission  spirit,  and  imiversalism,  and 
devilism  all  combined.  Here  I  had  a  chill,  and  was 
very  unwell  part  of  the  time. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  227 

■•^Sunday,  December  11th,  I  preached  with  unusual 
liberty  morning  and  night.  At  night 'I  preached  on 
the  plan  Avhich  God  has  devised  through  the  death 
of  His  Son,  whereby  the  soul  may  be  saved.  The 
house  was  crowded,  and  yet  not  a  single  sinner  man- 
ifested a  desire  to  be  saved.  The  devil  seemed  to 
have  this  whole  country  almost  entirely  under  his 
control.  Very  much  fatigued  from  the  labors  of 
yesterday.  Precious  prayer-meeting;  Christians 
are  made  to  rejoice.  Preached  with  good  liberty  at 
night.  Christians  express  themselves  as  being 
greatly  blessed  and  strengthened  by  the  preaching. 
Spent  a  very  restless  night;  could  not- sleep.  Both 
my  mind  and  body  are  worn  down.  Oh,  how  I  long 
to  rest  with  the  loved  ones  at  home.  Preached  my 
farewell  sermon  December  14th.  Bade  the  dear 
brethren  and  sisters  farewell — much  tenderness  and 
wieeping.  Have  preached  nearly  eVelry  night  for 
more  than  three  months,  and  much  of  the  time  day 
and  night.  I  trust  the  blessing  of  God  has  rested 
upon  these  arduous  labors.  I  greatly  enjoyed  my 
visit  with  Brother  Cai-ter  and  his  kind  family. 
Betumed  home  after  an  absence  of  more  than  five 
weeks.  Have  spent  only  five  days  and  nights  at 
home  in  over  three  months." 

HENDERSONVILLE. 

After  holding  a  good  meeting  in  Hendersonville, 
I  went  to 


228  ELDER  F.   M.  JORDAN. 

HAMILTON. 

This  place  and  country  had  been  for  many  years 
almost  entirely  under  the  influence  and  control  of  the 
anti-mission  Baptists,  a  non-aggressive  people. 

Bro.  R.  B.  Salisbury,  a  sound  ^ew  Testament 
Baptist,  ^vlio  had  lived  there  for  years,  stood  firm,  but 
almost  alone,  hoping  and  praying  for  the  time  to 
come  when  they  could  have  a  good  Missionary  Bap- 
tist Church.  Through  the  efforts,  contributions  and 
prayers  of  Elder  T.  D.  TTufham,  Dennis  Simmons, 
Noah  Biggs,  and  others,  a  good  house  of  worship  w^as 
built  in  TTamilton,  a  church  organized,  and  Elder 
F.  B.  Underwood  settled  there  as  pastor. 

The  meeting  l>egan  March  12th,  and  lasted  nearly 
tlirce  weeks.  Brotlier  TTufham  was  with  me  much 
of  th(^  time,  and  preached  some  heart-searching,  soul- 
stirring  sermons.  A  large  number  were  baptized, 
among  them  Frank  Underwood,  a  son  of  the 
pastor,  Bcv.  F.  R.  Underwood,  whom  I  found  to  be  a 
quiet,  consecrated  man  and  safe  leader.  Brother 
Salisbury  gave  me  fifty  dollars,  and  Brother  Noah 
Biggs  twenty-five  dollars  for  my  labors.  Both  of 
these  brethren  have  hearts  as  big  as  the  world,  and 
have  done  more  than  any  other  two  laymen,  perhaps, 
in  building  up  the  Lord's  cause  in  eastern  North 
Carolina.     The  following  letter  is  in  point  here: 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN. 


229 


EvERETTs,  X.  C,  Feb.  1,  1898. 

Dear  Bro.  Jordan  : — I  see  in  tlie  Recorder,  that 
you  are  writing  a  liistory  of  your  life,  and  want  inci- 
dents of  intcre^st.  My  wife,  Addie  Whitley,  a  strong 
Methodist,  was  made  a  strong  Baptist  by  your 
preaching  in  a  good  meeting  in  Hamilton,  N.  C,  in 
1882.  Up  to  that  time  slie  was  one  of  the  strongest 
Methodists  I  eve.r  saw.  She  was  sprinkled  in 
infancy,  and  T  have  often  heard  her  tell  Dr.  Hufham 
and  other  T^aptist  preachers,  that  they  would  never 
get  her  under  the  water,  and  would  say  she  was  per- 
fectly satisfied  with  her  baptism.  But  tiirough  your 
preaching  and  impressing  the  importance  of  immer- 
sion, she  became  greatly  interested,  and  to  my  great 
surprise,  she  joined  the  Baptist  Church.  And  when 
you  immersed  her  in  the  Roanoke,  she  exclaimed, 
''How  happy  I  am."  Dick  Salisbury's  wife  joined 
at  the  same  time.  She  was  about  to  join  the  Hard- 
shells.  My  wife  died  in  1891,  in  the  full  triimiph 
of  faith,  and  as  strong  a  Baptist  as  ever  was.  I 
think  she  enjoyed  that  old  hymn  you  so  often  sang, 
' 'Gathering  Home;'  more  than  any  other. 

Yours  in  Christ,  J.  A.  Whitley. 


PLYMOUTH. 


I  take  the  following  records  from  my  diary : 
April  6. — Brother  Under^^ood  and  I  left  Hamil- 
ton for  Plymouth.  Dined  with  Dennis  Simmons  in 
Williamston,, spent  the  night  with  Brother  Lawrence 
in  Jamesville.  Saw  them  hauling  the  seine  at  the 
fishery.  April  7th,  began  a  meeting  in  Plymouth. 
The  state  of  piety  and  vital  godliness  seemed  to  be 


33(>  LIFE   AXD  LABORS   OF 

at  a  low  ebb  in  the  town  and  surroundmg  country. 
Vice  and  sin  abounded  to  an  alarming  extent.  I 
heard  Bishop  Lvman  preach  at  the  Episcopal  Church. 
I  heard  Judge  Seymour  charge  the  grand  jury,  and 
the  negroes  and  the  whit©  men  too.  ^ever  heard 
anything  like  it.  He  told  the  negroes  that  they  never 
would  be  any  accoimt,  or  do  any  good,  until  they 
built  better  houses,  with  more  apartments,  and  not  all 
sleep  in  the  same  room.  He  said  some  men  have  two 
or  three  farms,  and  yet  spend  a  good  deal  of  their 
time  from  home.  He  advised  them  to  stay  at  home 
with  their  families  and  live  virtuous  lives.  The 
people  seemed  to  be  wonderfully  hardened  in  sin.  'No 
wonder — grog  shops  open  on  Sunday  and  fifty  negro 
strumpets  walking  the  streets.  Judge  Seymour 
seemed  to  understand  the  situation.  Whiskey,  for- 
nication and  adultery  the  crying  sins  of  the  country. 
I  preached  with  great  plainness  and  faithfulness,  and 
I  believe  in  the  power  and  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit.  I  kept  my  eye  upon  the  people,  and  upon 
my  Master,  who  says :  '^^Cry  aloud  and  spare  not ; 
t«ll  my  people  their  transgressions,  and  the  house  of 
Jacob  their  sins."  The  devil  seemed  to  have  con- 
trol of  the  people,  and  the  hearts  of  professed  Chris- 
tians full  of  prejudice.  Someone  will  say,  "Brother 
Jordan,  you  ought  not  to  write  these  things."  I 
never  did  believe  in  crying  peace,  peace,  when  there 
is  no  peace. 

There  were  some  good  Christian  people  in  Ply- 


EJLDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  231 

mouth,  as  there  were  in  Sodom.  Sinners  seemed  to 
be  hardened  and  immovable.  They  appeared  to 
grow  harder  at  every  service.  But  the  church  was 
greatly  revived  and  strengthened.  Preached  on  bap- 
tism and  communion,  after  which  Mrs.  Tucker,  Miss 
Emma  Gray,  Miss  Sue  Grant,  arid  Joseph  Beasley 
were  received  for  baptism,  three  of  whom  I  baptized 
Sunday  evening  in  the  Roanoke  River. 

Preached  my  farewell  sermon  at  night,  after  which 
the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered. 

Bro.  eT.  A.  Speight  was  present  one  night  of  this 
meeting,  and  if  his  eye  ever  falls  upon  these  lines, 
he  will  remember  the  occasion. 

EAST   FORK. 

July  23,  1882. — I  began  a  meeting  at  East  Fork, 
Transylvania  County.  The  church  was  in  good  spir- 
itual condition,  and  the  meeting  went  on  increasing  in 
interest  at  every  service.  I  preached  twice  a  day  for 
ten  days!  This  was  a  glorious  revival  of  religion, 
much  rejoicing  among  God's  people  over  the  salva- 
tion of  their  loved  ones.  There  were  twenty-three 
professions. 

August  1. — A  large  congregation  assembled  on  the 
bank  of  East  Eork,  where  it  was  my  pleasure  to  bury 
with  Christ  in  baptism  ten  willing  souls — lovely 
young  people,  all  of  whom,  so  far  as  I  know,  have 
made  good  church  members. 


232  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

N'ever  shall  I  forget  the  happy  seasons  I  spent  with 
brethren  Joseph  Glazener,  S.  D.  Gillespie,  C.  M.  Gil- 
lespie, A.  II.  Garren,  Jason  Gillespie,  B.  F.  Aiker, 
their  good  families,  and  many  others. 

In  the  month  of  August  I  attended  the  meeting  of 
tlie  Association  at  Bakersville,  preached  a  week,  and 
on  Sunday,  August  27th,  I  preached  the  dedication 
sermon  of  the  nCAV  Baptist  Church  in  Bakersville. 

Old  Brother  and  Sister  S.  M.  Collis  and  I  went 
on  the  top  of  Roan  Mountain,  and  viewed  the  won- 
derful works  of  nature's  God.  We  visited  Cub 
Creek  Church,  and  got  them  to  dissolve  and  go  to 
Bakersville ;  thirty-three  additions  by  letter. 

On  the  19  th  of  September,  I  began  a  meeting  at 
Enon  Church,  Transylvania  County.  The  meeting 
continued  twelve  days.  I  preached  day  and  nights 
This  was  a  meeting  of  great  power.  Sunday,  Octo- 
ber 1st,  Brother  Wells  and  I  baptized  thirty-six  in 
the  French  Broad  Biver,  in  the  presence  of  a  vast 
a.^sembly.      It  was  a  beautiful  and  impressive  scene. 

There  was  rather  a  striking  incident  occurred  dur- 
ing tJiis  baptism:  When  I  went  down  into  the  water 
with  a  candidate  I  would  quote  an  appropriate  pas^ 
sage  of  Scripture.  I  was  standing  in  the  water,  just 
ready  to  baptize  a  candidate,  when  I  said,  '^John  was 
baptizing  in  Enon  near  to  Salem,  because  there  was 
much  water  there.  Brother  Wells  and  I  are  bap- 
tizing in  the  French  Broad,  near  to  Enon,  because 
there  is  much  water  here."     A  Presbyterian  gentle- 


ELDER  F.  AI.   JORDAN. 


283 


man  standing  on  the  bank,  said  to  his  wife,  ''There, 
by  God,  Sue,  I  told  you  he  would  spoil  everything." 
This  much-water  business  is  a  troublesome  affair. 
At  this  meeting,  there  were  forty  additions  to  the 
church,  and  forty  professions  of  religion.  That's 
stringing  the  fish  pretty  close.  These  were  mostly 
young  peo]>le,  and  nearly  all  made  a  profession  of 
religion  at  home,  or  when  alone.  As  before  stated, 
this  has  been  characteristic  of  my  meetings. 


SUNDRY    MEETINGS. 


During  this  year  I  held  a  meeting  at  each  of  the 
following  places,  from  one  to  two  weeks:  Marion, 
McDowell  County;  Bethel,  Buncombe  County; 
French  Broad,  Henderson  County;  Cathey's  Creek, 
Transylvania  County ;  Whiteville, Columbus  County ; 
and  Marion  Court  House,  S.  C. 

Thursday,  December  14. — Our  dear  brother,  Elias 
Dodson,  died  this  morning  in  Wilmington.  Sainted 
brother,  rest  in  heaven,  we  hope  to  meet  thee  on  the 
other  shore. 


MONROE. 


1883. — On  the  9th  of  February,  1883,  I  began  a 
meeting  in  Monroe,  with  W.  B.  Harrell,  pastor. 
The  meeting  continued  ten  days.  The  church 
seemed  to  be  in  a  fine  spiritual  condition.  The 
prayer-meetings  were  exceedingly  precious.  There 
was  much  rejoicing  with  the  people  of  God.      The 


234:  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

last  night  of  tbe  meeting  was  a  melting  time.  Breth- 
ren J.  E.  King  and  Dr.  Harrell  baptized  fourteen 
during  the  meeting — six  men  and  eight  women.  Had 
great  enjoyment  with  brethren  C.  Austin,  Sister 
D.  A.  Covington,  Griffin,  Dr.  Harrell,  and  many 
otliers. 

From  this  place  I  visited  my  old  home  in  Mont- 
gomeiy  Coimty,  ^yhere  I  was  bom  and  reared.  Had 
been  absent  for  thirteen  years.  For  about  a  week 
I  preached  in  the  court-house  in  Troy,  and  visited 
relatives  and  old  friends  through  the  day.  Visited 
my  sister,  Katie  Reynolds,  who  is  now  eighty-seven 
years  of  age.  She  is  the  oldest  and  I  the  youngest 
of  three  sets  of  children,  17  in  number.  Visited 
Isaac  Suggs  and  family  in  the  afternoon ;  preached 
in  Troy  at  night,  and  spent  the  night  with  my 
brother-in-law,  D.  Wright.  Preached  at  Cross 
Roads,  my  old  mother  church,  where  I  was  baptized, 
and  one  mile  from  where  I  was  bom.  Looked  over 
the  old  homestead,  the  house,  the  springs,  the  grave- 
yard, the  place  where  I  was  baptized,  the  bam,  the 
old  school-house,  place  in  the  fork  of  the  river,  where 
I  first  went  to  school.  Spent  the  night  with  Joseph 
Reynolds,  with  whom  I  grew  up  and  spent  the  days 
of  our  boyhood  together.  Whiskey  and  drunkenness 
are  the  curses  of  Montgomery  County.  So  fifteen 
years  ago  I  bade  farewell  to  my  native  county,  rela- 
tives and  friends,  in  all  probability  to  meet  no  more 
until  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord. 


ELDER  F.  M.  JORDAN.  236 

POLKTON. 

In  March  I  began  a  meeting  in  Polkton,  which 
lasted  eight  days — a  good  revival  meeting,  at  the 
©lose  of  which  I  baptized  Miss  Leo  Beman. 

MORGANTON. 

In  May  I  held  a  meeting  of  one  week  in  Morgan- 
ton.     Good  meeting,  some  profeissions. 

Sunday,  July  15th,  I  baptized  Miss  Ida  Harkins 
in  the  French  Broad  River. 

July  27. — I  began  a  meeting  at  Cane  Biver,  in 
Yancey  County.  This  was  a  revival  meeting  of 
great  spiritual  power.  Bright,  hopeful  conversions, 
with  great  rejoicing.  Many  sinners  ask  what  they 
must  do  to  be  saved. 

Sunday,  August  12. — I  baptized  fourteen  lovely 
young  people  in  Cane  Biver,  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  congregation.  Here  I  had  great  enjoyment  in 
the  families  of  the  good  people  of  Cane  Biver — Dr. 
Whittington,  James  Boland,  Andrew  Phipps,  Jacob 
Sams,  Gilbert  Wilson,  Mark  Bird,  T.  B.  Bay,  and 
many  others.  Bro.  S.  el.  Morgan  was  with  me  in 
this  meeting. 

SMOKY    HOLLOW. 

This  place  is  in  the  valley  of  Mills  Biver,  a  beau- 
tiful, fertile  country,  with  a  thrifty,  progressive  peo^ 
pie.  There  was  no  Baptist  Church  in  that  beauti- 
ful locality.  An  Episcopal  preacher  had  been  visit- 
ing most  of  the  families  in  that  community,  and  leav- 


286  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

inp:  a  prayer-book  at  nearly  every  house,  teaching  his 
l>aptismal  regeneration.  T  made  up  my  mind  to 
preaoli  at  Smoky  Hollow  school-house  once  a  month 
throiio-h  the  spring  and  summer,  and  then  hold  a 
protracted  meeting,  and  somehow  I  felt  assured  that 
God  would  convert,  the  people,  and  we  would  organize 
a  Baptist  Church.  So  in  this  way  I  preached,  and 
we  had  large  congregations  and  good  indications. 

September  2,  1883. — Ero.  S.  C.  Owen  and  I  began 
a  meeting  at  Smoky  Hollow,  and  we  went  on  preach- 
ing alternately ;  true  yoke-fellows.  There  was 
marked  demonstration  of  the  presence  and  power  of 
tho  Holy  Spirit  from  the  very  first  service.  And  the 
work  of  conviction  and  conversion  soon  appeared. 
There  were  conversions  at  almost  every  service,  and 
the  gospel  proved  tho  power  of  God  unto  salvation. 

Sunday,  September  1>. — I  baptized  eleven  happy 
believers  in  Mills  River,  in  the  presence  of  a  large, 
and  solemn  assembly.  And  on  the  13th,  I  baptized 
five  others.  Repaired  to  the  school-house,  extended 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  those  baptized. 
Brother  Owen  preached  a  very  practical  sermon,  and 
the  delightfid  exercises  of  the  glorious  meeting 
closed.  The  next  Sunday  I  baptized  ^ve  more,  as 
the  fruits  of  the  meeting  above  mentioned,  mailing 
twenty-one  in  all. 

Se])tember  23. — I  preached  at  Pleasant  Grove, 
and  baptized  eight  for  Bro.  A.  W.  Beck,  in  the 
French  Broad  River. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  '287 


CHURCH    ORGANIZED. 


Saturday,  Septeml^er  29,  1883.— Met  at  Smoky 
Hollow,  Henderson  County,  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  Baptist  Church.  Presbytery,  Elders 
J.  E.  Carter,  D.  B.  Kelson,  T.  Bright,  Joseph  Miller, 
S.  C.  Owen  and  E.  M.  Jordan.  Elder  J.  E.  Carter 
preached  on  the  doctrine  and  principles  of  the  Bap- 
tists. Then  a  church  of  forty-eight  members  was 
constituted.  Exercises  very  interesting.  Elder 
S.  C.  Owen  was  called  and  accepted  the  care  of  the 
new  church.  A  building  committee  was  appointed 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  new  meeting-house  for 
the  Lord.  The  name  of  the  church  is  Mt.  Gilead. 
A  beautiful  lot  was  selected,  and  a  large,  commodious 
house  of  worship  erected,  where  they  have  had  regu- 
lar preaching  and  Sunday-school,  and  now  have  a 
strong  church.  Bro.  J.  S.  Khodes,  a  fine  farmer, 
and  substantial  Baptist,  is  a  member  of  this  church, 
and  has  been  a  gTeat  blessing  to  the  church  and  com- 
munity ever  since  its  organization.  I  have  spent  so 
many  happy  seasons  in  his  delightful  home.  Soon 
after  this  church  was  organized,  Bro.  Alfred  H.  Rich, 
a  good  lay  brother,  though  he  lived  four  miles  aw^ay, 
organized  a  Simday-school,  attended  regularly,  and 
had  the  best  Sunday-school  in  all  the  land.  They 
had  a  Sunday-school  celebration  there  which  suj^ 
passed  anything  ever  seen  in  that  country. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


W.  N.  C.  Convention— Caitoogajay—Coweta--Fraaklin— 1884— 
Matthews  —  Rutherfordton  —  Monroe  —  Portsmouth— Lit- 
tleton—Hendersonville— Highlands— Head  of  Tennessee  — 
Old  Salem— Limestone  Springs,  S.  C— Gaffney  City— A 
New  Home— Florence,  S.  C— 1885 -Raleigh— Salisbury- 
Raleigh— Smithfield— Rockingham— Death  of  my  Wife. 

The  Western  ISTorth  Carolina  Convention  met  at 
Enon  Clmrch,  October  18,  1885.  Introductory 
Sermon  by  F.  M.  Jordan.  Elder  D.  B.  E'elson, 
President,  and  Charles  E.  Lee,  Secretary.  G.  A. 
Ximnally,  of  Georgia,  J.  E.  Carter,  Is".  B.  Cobb, 
and  J.  B.  Boone,  among  those  present. 

On  Sunday,  at  11  a.  m.,  G.  A.  Nunnally  preached 
a  sermon  of  great  plainness  and  power  from  the  text, 
''I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel,"  etc.,  in  which  he 
showed  that  baptism  represents  on^half  the  gospel 
and  the  Lord's  Supper  the  other;  and  urged  the 
brethren  to  keep  prominently  before  the  people  this 
great  Bible  doctrine.  A  Methodist  preacher  heard 
the  sermon — a  strong  man.  After  the  congregation 
was  dismissed  he  said  to  a  brother  in  the  aisle,  ^'If 
any  man  preach  any  other  gospel,  than  which  JSTun- 
nally  has  preached,  let  him  be  accursed.''  That  man 
is  to-day  a  strong  Baptist  preacher. 

Erom  the  Convention,  I  go  with  Bro.  John 
Ammons  to  Macon  County,  to  hold  a  series  of  meet- 
ings. 


i40  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

October  L^G,  1883. — I  began  a  meeting  at  Cartoo- 
gajay,  in  Macon  County,  Avliicli  continued  nine  days, 
and  was  a  spiritual  feast  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end.  Sinners  came  to  Christ  and  Christians  rejoiced 
with  the  angels  in  heaven. 

On  Sunday,  November  4th,  a  large  congregation 
assembled  at  the  w^ater  at  11  a.  m.  It  was  my  pleas- 
ure to  bury  with  Christ  in  baptism,  fourteen  happy 
souls,  two  husbands  and  their  wives  among  the  num- 
l)or,  and  old  Sistei*  Crawford,  se^^enty-two  years  of 
age,  and  aunt  of  Governor  Robinson.  Many  said 
it  was  tlie  most  beautiful  baptism  they  ever  witnessed. 
Here  I  enjoyed  my  visits  most  w^onderfully  with  old 
Bro.  Cr.  W.  Crawford,  Emerson  G.  Crawford,  the 
Clovers,  the  Silars,  and  many  others.  Two  Indian 
l)oys  seemed  to  take  a  great  liking  to  me;  went  out 
;md  caught  me  a  nice  o'possiun,  and  seemed  delighted 
to  do  anything  for  my  comfort. 

COWETA. 

NovemlK'i-  1 1 . — T  began  a  meeting  at  Coweta, 
(eleven  miles  above  Franklin.  This  church  is  com- 
j)osed  of  a  gmKl  substantial  membership,  w^ere  in  the 
Spirit,  and  ready  to  receive  a  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord.  Professions  of  religion  more 
or  less  every  flay.  The  meeting  continued  eight  days. 

Sunday  w(^  mot'  on  the  banks  of  Coweta  Creek. 
I  baptized  sixteen  lovely  young  people — nine  young 
ladies,  and  seven  vounff  men.      The  occasion  was  sol- 


Mrs.   JENNIE   B.    BREVARD. 
(6th   Child.' 


F.    M.   JORDAN,   Jr. 
•7th    Child.) 


ELDER  F.  M.   JOKDAN.  241 

emn  and  the  scene  beautiful.  While  at  the  water 
there  came  up  a  sprinkle  of  rain.  A  Methodist 
girl  said  to  Miss  Catharine  Sellers,  who  was  to  be 
baptized,  ''^I  thought  you  Baptists  didn't  mind 
water."  ^'No,"  she  says,  '^We  don't  when  the  Lord 
sprinkles  it  on  us,  but  we  don't  want  any  man  to 
sprinkle  it  on  our  head  and  pat  it."  These  have 
made  the  substantial  men  and  women  of  that  church 
and  community. 

T  still  have  in  my  heart,  and  hold  fresh  in  my 
memory,  the  names  of  those  dear  people — the  Gar- 
lands, Bro.  John  Bates,  Sister  Sellers,  the  Longs, 
the  Carpenters,  and  a  host  of  others. 

FRANKLIN. 

November  19,  1883. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Frank- 
lin. The  meeting  continued  two  weeks.  The 
Christian  people  seemed  to  enjoy  the  meeting  very 
much,  but  sinners  hard  to  move.  There  were  some 
professions  of  religion. 

December  2. — A  large  concourse  of  people 
assembled  on  the  bank  of  the  Tennessee  River,  where 
it  was  my  great  pleasure  to  baptize  Sister  S.  H. 
Harrington,  Brother  Blaine  and  his  two  daughters. 
Sister  Harrington  had  been  a  Methodist,  but  had 
become  to  be  a  decided  Baptist  from  principle,  and 
in  every  way  a  splendid  woman. 


16 


'j4:'2  life  and  labors  of 


MATTHEWS. 


1884. — The  27th  of  January,  1884,  I  began  a 
meeting  at  ^latthews,  eleven  miles  from  Charlotte, 
with  x\.  L.  Stough,  pastor.  Great  coldness  among 
all  the  churches  of  the  place.  But  the  church 
warmed  up,  and  we  had  a  good  meeting  of  thirteen 
days.  There  were  eighteen  professions  of  religion, 
and  ten  additions.  The  last  day  of  the  meeting  a 
large  congregation  assembled  at  a  creek  in  a  body  of 
AV(X)ds,  one  mile  from  to^vn,  where  it  was  my  pleasure 
to  baptize  ten  happy  souls — five  men  and  five  ladies. 

EUTHERFORDTON. 

February  10,  1884. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Ruth- 
erford ton.  My  home  was  with  Bro.  C.  B.  Justice. 
This  was  truly  a  glorious  meeting.  The  prayer- 
meetings  were  exceedingly  precious,  and  Christians 
wore  made  to  rejoice.  This  is  the  third  meeting  I 
have  held  in  Rutherfordton.  I  have  certainly  had 
a  good  tiuie  with  brethren  C.  B.  and  M.  H.  Justice, 
Gravson,  Dr.  Lvnch,  and  manv  ohers. 

MONROE. 

March  2,  1884. — T  began  a  meeting  in  Monroe, 
wliich  continued  ten  days.  Large  congregations  and 
great  solemnity.  A  great  many  seemed  to  be  deeply 
interested  in  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  Quite  a 
immlK'.r    of    professions    of    conversion.      Fourteen 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  243 

additions  to  the  church.  I  baptized  eleven  happy 
believers — five  young  men^  and  six  young  ladies. 

I  spent  a  week  with  my  son  in  Lnmberton,  resting 
and  visiting  old  friends.  He  and  I  baptized  five  per- 
sons and  had  a  good  time. 

On  the  night  of  March  21st,  I  preached  in  the 
Second  Baptist  Church,  Raleigh.  One  profession 
of  religion  and  many  penitents. 

PORTSMOUTH. 

In  ]\Larch  I  assisted  Rev.  A.  E.  Owen  in  a  meet- 
ing in  Court  Street  Church,  of  Portsmouth,  Va.  It 
was  a  meeting  of  great  power.  The  church  was 
harmonious  and  aggressive.  Brother  Owen  was  its 
pastor  for  more  than  twenty  years.  He  is  a  most 
lovable  man,  and  the  more  you  know  of  him  the 
better  he  gi'ows  upon  you.  There  were  a  great  many 
accessions  to  the  church,  and  the  members  w)ere 
greatly  helped  and  strengthened.  My  stay  in  Ports- 
mouth with  Brother  Owen  and  his  charming  church 
and  famil}^  was  delightful  beyond  expression. 

On  my  way  from  Portsmouth  I  preached  in  Frank- 
lin, Va,.,  and  stopped  at  Littleton,  and  preached 
eleven  days  with  Pastor  D.  A.  Glenn.  The  congre- 
gations were  lairge,  attentive,  and  tender.  The 
prayer-meetings  were  warm  and  full  of  the  Spirit. 
Sinners  are  moved,  and  strong  men  bowed  before 
the  Lord.  The  Spirit's  work  of  regeneration  soon 
appeared,     ^ine  received  for  baptism,  and  two  by 


244  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

letter.  I  preached  my  last  semion  on  baptism  and 
coninuinion.  T  Mieve  God's  truth  was  more  fully 
eshiblislied  in  many  hearts.  Again  I  bade  farewell 
to  the  dear  brethren,  sisters  and  young  converts  of 
Littk^toii.  1  had  gi*eat  happiness  in  the  delightful 
Cliristiaii  homes  of  brethren  Glenn,  Shaw,  Brown- 
in  «r,  P>obbitt,  and  many  otliers. 

1  i-(*tnrned  to  mv  home  in  the  mountains  after  an 
ahs('nc<>  of  over  t\v<>  months.      "Home,  sweet  home," 

TI  KXDEKSOXVILLE. 

Diii-iiiL'  tIk-  inoiith  of  ^lay,  1884,  there  was  & 
glorious  revival  of  religion  in  Ilendersonville,  con- 
ducted by  Eider  Joseph  E.  Carter,  the  pastor.  I 
was  ill  this  meeting  most  of  the  time,  and  preached 
several  times.  BrotJier  Boone,  tlien  President  of 
.hidson  College,  t(X>k  an  active  part  in  this  meeting, 
and  the  students  of  tlie  College  shared  largely  in 
tii(5  glorious  results,  dune  1st,  Bro.  Carter  and  I 
ba})tiz(^d  seventeen  persons,  all  young,  only  one  mar- 
ried ])ei\s(jn.  Eight  of  the  Indian  children,  who  were 
rent  there  U)  school  by  the  Government,  were  among 
the  number. 

dinu^  10. — I  attended  the  Conunencement  at 
Wake  Forest  ('oHege.  Met  with  the  Board  of  Trus- 
t<'es.  K(\-.  (  ".  A.  Stakely,  of  South  Carolina., 
prciH'licd  the  scniKin  at  night.  The  address  l>efore 
the  Literary  Societies  was  delivered  by  J.  B.  Thomas, 
of  l)r<H>klyn.  N .  Y.      \)v.  Lansing  Burrows  delivered 


ELDER  F.    M.    JOKDAN.  24:^ 

the  address  before  the  Alumni  exercises  of  Commence^ 
ment  Dny;  fifteen  graduates. 

Sunday,  June  15.- — T  preached  for  Dr.  Skinner, 
in  file  First  Baptist  Churcli,  Raleigh,  morning  and 
night.  I  learned  that  some  of  the  members  had  been 
drinking,  card-})laYing,  dancing  and  cutting  up  gen- 
f-rallv,  and  also  that  the  pastor  had  been  sending  his 
daughter  to  a  dancing  school.  So  at  night  I 
preached  the  funeral  of  the  whole  concern,  and 
exj^osed  the  amusements  of  the  day.  Among  other 
tilings,  I  said  that  it  would  not  do  me  any  good  to 
hear  a  man  preach  who  would  send  his  daughter  to 
a  dancing  school.  The  pastor  was  sitting  behind 
me.  1  saw  Dr.  Bailey  nearly  splitting  his  sides 
laughing  while  I  was  preaching.  ISText  morning  I 
A\ent  down  to  the  Recorder  office,  saw  Brother 
Bailey  standing  in  the  door,  laughing.  ^'Well,''  he 
says,  "I'll  give  you  your  diploma;  you'll  not  preach 
here  any  more  in  ten  years."  The  brethren  com- 
plimented me  highly  on  the  sermon. 

HIGHLAISTDS. 

July  12. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Iligldands, 
Macon  County. 

July  13th,  at  11  a.  m.,  S.  II.  Harrington,  W.  W. 
Wells,  John  P.  Morgan,  and  F.  M.  JoTdan,  organ- 
ized a  Baptist  Church  in  Highlands,  of  twelve  mem- 
bers. 

Highlands  is  beautiful  for  situation,  without  a 
well  or  a  negTO.      The  meeting  continued,  but  there 


•iiO  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

were  liinderanc<?s  and  drawbacks;  it  would  seem  that 
all  the  fleas  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe  had 
assembled  here.  On  Sunday  Dr.  Miller  preached  at 
i  1  a.  111.,  and  sprinkled  a  baby.  What  a  shame  to 
palm  off  such  an  imposition  upon  a  poor,  little,  inno- 
cent, helpless  babe.  Dr.  Miller  preached  at  night. 
We  did  our  level  best  for  ten  days,  and  left  all  in 
the  hand  of  God. 

As  to  the  fleas,  God  alone  knows  what  became  of 
theni.  1  can't  see  why  fleas  should  want  to  get  so 
many  thousand  feet  above  sea  level. 

HEAD   OF   TENNESSEE. 

July  26,  1884. — I  began  a  meeting  at  Head  of  Ten- 
nessee, Rabun  County,  Ga. 

This  is  a  fine  valley  at  the  head  of  the  Tennessee 
River,  a  fine  farming  country,  thickly  settled.  The 
Baptists  once  held  that  country  pretty  generally.  But 
they  fell  out  among  themselves,  and  jars,  discord  and 
strife  crept  in  among  them,  and  they  excluded  some, 
and  some  took  letters  and  went  to  Clayton.  And 
while  they  were  at  that,  the  devil  and  the  Methodists 
came  in  and  were  about  to  take  the  country.  Some 
I  if  the  old  brethren  came  to  see  me,  to  get  me  to  go 
;ind  help  them  out.  So  I  went.  I  found  the  Bap- 
tists and  ^lethodists,  each  with  an  organization, 
worshiping  in  an  old  dilapidated  meeting-house.  I 
(•onimonced  preaching  twice  a  day,  and  the  Spirit 
f'lnne  upon  the  people  in  great  power.  Soon  there 
were  bright  professions  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  a  time 


ELDER  F.   M.   JOKDAN.  24T 

of  great  rejoicing.  Up  to  Saturday  nine  had  been 
received  for  baptism,  and  there  was  a  glorious  revival 
of  religion. 

Sunday,  August  3rd,  at  10  a.  m.,  I  baptized  nine 
happy  souls  in  Betty's  Creek.  Solemn  and  impres- 
sive scene.  Preached  at  11  a.  m.,  to  an  immense  con- 
gregation, and  there  were  others  who  were  comforted, 
and  made  to  rejoice  in  a  Savior's  love.  The  brethren 
prevailed  upon  me  to  remain  a  day  or  two  longer. 

Monday  four  other  young  ladies  were  received 
for  baptism,  making  thirteen  in  all  during  the  meet- 
ing. Tuesday  a  large  congregation  assembled  at 
the  water  at  10  a.  m.  There  was  a  foot-log  across 
the  creek  about  as  hiffh  as  mv  head  from  the  water, 
and  about  one-half  the  people  on  one  side  of  the 
creek,  and  the  other  half  on  the  other  side.  I  bap- 
tized just  below  the  log.  I  baptized  four  lovely 
daughters,  and  they  were  so  happy  and  had  such 
heavenlv  countenances.  While  standing  in  the 
water  1  made  the  remark  that  I  never  saw  anyone, 
or  heard  of  anyone,  who  seemed  to  be  happy  at  the 
time  they  were  poured  or  sprinkled.  A  good  old 
Methodist  sister  said :  ^^That's  a  lie,  Jordan  has 
U)](l  a  lie,  that's  what  he's  done."  And  from  that  she 
commenced  charging  and  she  would  come  about  half 
way  the  log  at  me  with  all  the  venom  of  a  tiger.  I 
A7as  so  in  hopes  she  would  fall  in — I  wanted  to  holler 
amen.  Then  a  good  old  brother  commenced  shout- 
ing, and  thanking  God  that  he  was  a  Methodist,  and 


248  LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF 

iIk^v  were  just  as  happy  as  anv  people,  meaning  that 
rhcv  V- <'!•('  just  as  liai)py  when  poured  or  sprinkled  aj 
nthers  when  tliey  were  immersed ;  and  from  this  num- 
Ivrp  eommenc(  d  shoutino-,  "Glory,  glory,  I  am  happy, 
1   am  happy,"  .nid  such  a  scene  I  nor  any  one  else 
evrr  witnessed.  Some  young  sisters  a  little  lower  down 
the  creek  looked  up  and  saw  these  old  people  and  oth- 
ers shout.ing,they  caught  the  spirit  and  began  shouting 
in  ii-md  faith:  hut  soon  found  out  that  these  other? 
were  a.-  mad  as  the  devil  could  make  them.     After 
:i\\hik'  ohi   lirnther  Dillard  went  over  and  told  them 
that   liuy   were  disturbing  a   religious  meeting,   and 
that  ih(y  had  l>etter  stop  it.      From  that  they  pitched 
into  l.iin,  and  then  his  son  took  it  up,  and  you  never 
saw  such  a  time,     I  stood  there  as  much  composed  as 
Sii"  Isaac  Xewton  over  was  in  any  of  his  mathemat- 
ical (Icmoiistration^^,  for  1  knew  that  they  were  hang- 
ijig  thf  iiisclvcs,  jiud   1  wanted  to  give  them  plenty  of 
i(ip( .  and   let  them  break  their  necks  and  die  easy. 
After  awhile  things  quieted  down,  and  we  assembled 
at  tlie  church.     One  of  the  sisters  who  was  baptized 
was  mightily  torn  up  in  her  feelings  about  the  con- 
I'nsion  at   tlic  water,  and  was  airxious  to  see  me,  to 
see  how  I   h)oked.      She  said  when  she  saw  me  come 
to  the  door,  I  looked  so  bright  and  happy,  that  she 
f('h   so  1  iippy  she  could  almost  fly  away.      Another 
<i<  <-)(!  sistfr,  wlio  was  once  a  member  of  that  church, 
'out    who   Ki-.d   h(-(  n   led   off  to  the   Methodists,   said 
shr  liad  In-en  from  home  long  enough,  and  waoited  t^ 


EI.DEK  F.   M.    JORDAN.  249 

come  l-iick.  An  opportunity  was  given,  and  here  she 
came,  Messing  and  praising  God  that  she  had  got 
back  home.  Just  at  this  time  a  nice  ladj  walked  up, 
a7i(l  said  slie  had  been  baptized  (immersed),  but  it 
\.  as  lt\  a  man  wlio  did  not  believe  in  it,  and  she 
wanted  to  l>e  baptized  by  a  man  who  believed  in  it. 
Everv]K)dy  knew  tliat  I  believed  in  it  fully.  So  she 
was  received  for  baptism,  and  baptized.  Preached 
my  farewell  sermon,  and  bade  the  church  and  frienda 
fareAvell. 

Thus  closed  a  glorious  meeting  at  Head  of  Ten- 
nessee. Miss  Gracie  E.  Sitton,  whom  I  baptized  at 
this  meeting,  is  now  my  second  wife. 

Til  is  church  abandoned  the  old  house,  and  have 
built  one  of  the  best  meeting-houses  in  the  country. 
Here  T  had  the  pleasure  of  being  with  Elder  Thomas 
Carter,  both  at  church  and  at  his  hospitable  home, 
also  at  the  Dillards,  the  Sittons,  and  many  others. 

OLD   SALEM. 

T)eginning  August  23rd,  I  preached  a  week  with 
I3ro.  E.  J.  Morgan.  There  was  a  glorious  revival 
of  religion.  Brother  Morgan  baptized  six  lovely 
young  people  in  Cane  Creek.  The  last  day  of  the 
meeting  I  preached  a  sermon  of  great  plainness  on 
the  heresies  and  false  teachers  aroimd  us,  especially 
baptismal  regeneration,  and  a  form  of  godliness  with- 
out its  power. 


250  LIFE  AND  LABOES   OF 

LIMESTONE    SPRINGS^    S.    C. 

T  l>t^an  a  ni€^tiiig  at  Limestone  Springs,  S.  C, 
Soj-itember  2,  1884.  Eight  came  forward  for  prayer 
tl;c  first  service,  and  at  the  second  service  there  was 
i.up  piofession  of  religion,  and  then  at  nearly  every 
-c'^nce  during  the  meeting.  The  church  seemed  to 
be  in  travail,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  brought  sinners 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  service  of  satan 
tn  the  service  of  God.  A  Roman  Catholic  lady  was 
numbered  with  the  converts,  and  baptized.  The  con- 
-i' lotions  seemed  To  be  deep  and  pungent,  and  the  con- 
verts  bright    and   happy. 

September  Tth,  .at  10  a.  m.,  I  baptized  eight  happy 
^<>uls,  five  ladies  and  three  men,  nearly  all  heads  of 
families.  At  11  a.  m.,  nearly  ever  soul  in  the  con- 
gregation bowed  before  the  Lord. 

GAFFNEY    CITY. 

I  went  to  Gaifney  City,  September  8th,  and  began 
a  meeting  with  Brother  Wingo,  pastor.  The  meet- 
ing progressed  with  great  power.  September  15th, 
T  went  t/)  Limestone,  and  baptized  Mrs.  Pruitt.  Sep- 
teml)er  10th,  Brother  Wingo  baptized  twelve  happy 
souls.  Septeml>er  21st,  I  preached  on  baptism  and 
communion.  At  night  the  house  was  crowded  to 
overfloAA'ing.  Baptized  six — four  young  men  and  two 
ladies,  making  eighteen  during  the  meeting,  and  nine 
at    Limestone   Springs. 


ELDER.  F.   M.   JORDAN.  251 

Monday  we  met  at  10  a.  m.  for  a  farewell  service, 
interspersed  with  songs,  prayers  and  talks.  We  gave 
tlie  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  those  baptized — a 
melting  time,  a  great  parting  blessing.  At  both  these 
places  I  foimd  a  warm-hearted,  whole^-souled  people, 
whose  love  and  kindness  I  shall  never  forget. 

October  4. — I  preached  to  the  colored  people  at 
their  Convention  in  Hendersonville,  on  baptism  and 
communion.      They  certainly  enjoyed  it. 

October  16. — I  went  to  the  Western  Convention  at 
Waynesville.  W.  W.  Wells,  President,  and  C.  E. 
Lee,  Secretary.  Introductory  Sermon  by  J.  E.  Car- 
ter. 

Sunday,  Elder  J.  E.  Carter  preached  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church  at  11  a.  m.,  and  Elder  J.  B.  Boone  in 
the  Methodist  Church. 

OUR  NEW  HOME. 

I  exchanged  my  place  at  Hendersonville  for  a 
farm  on  the  Swannanoa  Biver,  and  on  November 
8th  we  moved  to  our  new  home.  My  wife  was 
delighted  with  her  home,  and  so  were  the  children. 

FLORENCE^    S.     C. 

December  14. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Florence, 
S.  C,  with  Elder  B.  G.  Covington,  pastor.  The  meet- 
ing continued  a  week.  The  weather  was  cold,  rainy 
and  very  disagreeable.  There  wei-e  some  profes- 
sions of  religion,  and  we  had  a  very  enjoyable  meet- 


252  LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF 

iiiu:.  IJi-otlior  ( 'nviiiiitdii  and  1  were  ordained  in  the 
^ame  elnireh — Forks  «>f  F.ittle  River,  MoiitjGromerj 
(  oiinty,  X.  r. 

Took  my  C'liristmas  dinner  with  m_v  nephew.  Dr. 
»lohn   L.  dorchin,   I]ennettesville,  S.  C. 

Til  is  winds  u])  tlie  laV)ors,  toils  and  sacrifices  of 
1884. 

^  RALEIGH. 

1885.— January  11,  1885.— In  the  Second  Bap- 
tist Clnircli,  Tialeicrh,  Elders  W.  R.  Gwaltney,  Alvin 
Betts,  and  F.  ^f.  Jordan,  ordained  Bro.  Duncan 
]\roLeod  to  the  ii'ospel  ministry,  and  at  night  I 
began  a  meeting  in  the  Third  Baptist  Church, 
Raleigh.     My  home  is  with  Bro.  C.  B.  Edw^ards. 

The  church  seemed  to  be  in  the  Spirit,  and  in 
g«KKl  wfirking  order;  congregations  large  and  atten- 
tive. Six  professions  of  religion  at  the  fourth 
service,  and  the  meeting  progressed  with  great  power. 
Great  interest  in  the  church  and  congi-egation.  Bright 
j;rofessions  of  religion  at  almost  every  service,  and 
great  rejoicing  among  Christians. 

January  24. — T  baptized  twelve  willing  souls:  a 
most  beautiful  and  impressive  scene — candidates  so 
happy.  ''Baptism  is  not  the  putting  away  of  the 
filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience. '* 
Eight^'^'U  professions  of  religion  during  the  meeting. 

I  return  home  after  an  absence  of  two  months. 


ELDER  F.  M.  JORDAN.  253 

SALISBURY. 

May  28,  1885. — I  began  a  meeting  in  Salisbury 
with  Bro.  J.  F.  Tuttle,  pastor.  The  church  seemed 
to  be  in  travail,  and  sons  and  daughters  were  born 
into  the  kingdom  of  grace  at  almost  every  sei'vice. 
June  1st  1  baptized  five,  and  the  interest  increased  at 
every  service.  Juno  7th  I  baptized  twelve^ — three 
young"  ladies  and  nine  young  men. 

Jime  S. — Baptized  five  others,  making  twenty-two 
in  all  during  the  meeting,  and  thirty-five  professions 
of  faith  in  Christ. 

Brother  Tuttle  had  sown  the  seed,  and  had  his 
church  in  fine  condition,  and  I  came  along  to  help 
him  gather  in  the  harvest.  This  is  the  fourth  meet- 
ing T  have  held  in  Salisbury,  and  have  labored  hard 
ic  lay  a  good  foundation  for  a  church  of  the  living 
God,  and  to  establish  His  truth  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  Brother  Tuttle  is  a  glorious,  good  brother, 
a  good  worker,  and  a  good  pastor. 

RALEIGH. 

December  6. — Began  a  meeting  in  the  Third  Baj> 
tist  Church,  Ealeigh,  which  continued  two  weeks. 
A  good  revival  meeting,  and  a  goodly  number  of 
bright  professions  of  conversion ;  some  strong  men. 
First  and  last  I  have  spent  five  months  in  Raleigh  in 
protracted  meeting-s.  Eternity  alone  will  disclose 
the  result  of  these  labors.      There  are  many  endear- 


254r  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

ing  ties  which  bind  me  to  the  good  people  of  Raleigh. 
During  the  year  1885,  I  have  preached  from  one 
to  two  weeks  at  each  of  the  following  places,  with 
more  or  less  conversions  and  baptisms :  Cane  Creek, 
Hooper's  Creek,  Bakersville,  Bethel,  Coopers, 
Catawba,   and  Marshall. 

RALEIGH. 

1886. — February -23. — I  began  a  meeting  in  the 
Third  Baptist  Church,  Raleigh.  Preached  six 
niglits  and  baptized  fourteen  persons. 

March  1. — Began  a  meeting  with  my  son,  W.  T. 
Jordan,  in  Lumberton.  I  preached  eveiy  night  for 
two  weeks.  At  the  close,  I  baptized  nine  persons  in 
the  baptistry.  The  house  was  packed  and  the  scene 
beautiful. 

March  10. — Began  a  meeting  with  Elder  J.  R. 
Jones  in  Smithfield.  The  meeting  continued  twelve 
days.  There  were  thirteen  professions  of  religion, 
and  on  Sunday  Brother  Jones  baptized  six  persons 
handsomely  in  Xeuse  River.  A  good  meeting. 
T.rother  Jones  and  I  have  had  a  good  time  together 
on  more  occasions  than  one. 

ROCKINGHAM. 

April  1."). — Began  a  meeting  in  Rockingham  with 
Elder  B.  11.  Phillips,  pastor.  Very  large  and  atten- 
tive congregations,  and  many  came  for  miles  in  the 
country.     There  are  a  great  many  penitents;  twelve 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  255 

professions  of  religion  np  to  this  time.  Circum- 
stances are  such  that  I  must  leave  the  meeting.  Mv 
son  Willie  came  this  morning  and  will  carry  on  the 


meeting. 


DEATH    Oi'^    MY   WIFE. 


On  Monday,  November  1,  1886,  I  returned  home 
from  Bethel  Church.  Mj  dear  wife  met  me  in  the 
yard  and  kissed  me  for  the  last  time  on  earth, 
though  in  her  usual  health.  Tuesday,  at  4:30  a.  m., 
she  was  stricken  with  a  severe  pain  in  her  shoulders 
and  breast.  She  suffered  dreadfully  till  12  m.,  but 
was  some  better  in  the  evening.  At  about  8  p.  m., 
another  pain  struck  her,  and  she  endured  untold  suf- 
fering all  night — reason  dethroned. 

iSTovember  ?>. — At  twenty  minutes  to  seven  my 
dear  wife  breathed  lier  last.  She  died  calm  and 
easy,  with  a  beautiful  smile  upon  her  face.  A  truer 
wife  and  mother  never  died. 

E^ovember  4.— We  carried  the  body  of  the  dear 
wife  and  mother  to  Asheville.  In  the  First  Baptist 
Church  Bro.  J.  E.  Carter  preached  her  funeral.  She 
was  buried  in  tlie  new  Asheville  Biverside  Cemetery, 
in  a  beautiful  spot  near  the  French  Broad  River. 

Farewell,  my  darling.  Oh,  how  sad  and  lonely ! 
How  desolate  is  our  home  without  a  mother.  That 
evening  was  the  saddest  to  me  that  I  have  ever  spent 
on  earth.  May  the  Lord  prepare  us  all  to  meet  the 
sainted  mother  in  heaven. 


256  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

The  followinir  obituary  notice  was  ^\Titteii  by 
Brother  Carter  and  published  in  the  Western  North 
Carolina  Baptist: 

IN    MEiVrORIAM. 

SiisiiH  Daniel  Jordan,  the  wife  of  Elder  F.  M. 
JordiiTi,  died  at  her  home  in  Buncombe  County,  on 
Wednesday,  Xoveml>er  3,  188G,  at  6  o'clock  in  the 
mornini^.  At  that  time  she  was  55  years  and  10 
months  of  tu^e. 

She  was  the  daui^-hter  of  Samuel  Holeman,  and 
was  born  on  the  3rd  of  January,  1831,  near  Hills- 
boro,  Orani2:e  County,  X.  C.     There  she  was  raised. 

At  the  ao-e  of  15  she  was  baptized  by  Elder  A.  D. 
Hhickwood  into  the  fellowship  of  ]\rars  Hill  Ckuvch, 
iicar  her  liome.  She  lived  in  fellowship  with  other 
churches  of  which  she  became  a  member,  in  her 
(tlianije  of  homes,  until  the  day  of  her  decease. 

On  the  IStli  of  Octol)er,  1853,  she  was  married  to 
Klder  F.  ^I.  Jordan,  who  at  that  time  was  in  the 
lK*^innin<i^  of  his  ministry.  She  raised  nine  children 
— six  sons  and  three  daug'hters ;  Samuel,  now  of  Mt. 
.\irv;  Julia.  (Mrs.  C.  E.  Lee);  William,  a  minister 
of  the  li'ospel  ;  James,  of  Greensboro;  Jennie,  (Mrs. 
.1.  1).  Brevard)  ;  John,  of  Asheville;  Fannie,  Frank, 
Jr.,  and  Thomas.  These  last  three  were  living  with 
their  parents  at  home. 

In  (me  sen.^e  it  may  be  said  that  she  lived  for  those 
children. 

Of  all  the  mothers  in  the  land  few,  if  any,  excelled 
her  in  devotion  to,  in  interest  in,  and  prayer  for 
her  children,  her  ^reat  desire  beinjo;  htat  they 
shonld  all  be  followers  of  her  Tord  and  Master.  A 
few  days  before  her  death  she  was  heard  to  exclaim, 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  257 

^' Thank  God  for  such  a  boy/'  as  she  saw  the  buddings 
of  more  and  future  usefulness  in  one  of  her  sons. 

Her  good  heart  rested  Tiot  in  looking  after  hei" 
OA\TL.  She  was  a  good  friend  to  the  poor.  During 
her  late  visit  to  the  Western  Convention,  at  Hender- 
sonville,  she  visited  an  afflicted  family  which  was  of 
late  her  neighbor.  Tears  fell  from  the  eyes  of  a 
suffering,  aged  man,  so  soon  as  she  entered  his  door. 

Sister  Jordan  was  a  woman  of  sterling  integrity 
and  high-toned  spirit.  Those  who  knew  her  well, 
knew  this  well. 

Her  devotion  to  her  husband  was  apace  ^\dth  other 
characteristics  which  marked  her  as  a  woman  above 
the  average,  ^ot  only  for  Christ's  sake,  but  for  her 
husband's  sake  also,  she  bore  the  long  and  continued 
sacrifices  of  a  lonesome  home,  as  he  would  be*  away 
preaching  the  gospel — sometimes  at  the  far  end  of" 
the  State. 

This  brings  us  to  speak  of  her  highest  attainment 
in  life.  The  grand — if  not  the  grandest — view  of 
human  attainment,  is  that  of  a  self-sacrificing  wife, 
at  home,  and  alone,  with  cares  and  anxieties,  inten- 
sified by  her  charge  of  little  children;  meeting,  what 
poor  preachers  mves  so  often  have  to  meet,  the  dis- 
appointment and  privations  incident  to  such  a  life,, 
and  yet  bearing  it  all,  suffering  it  all,  for  the  sake 
of  her  beloved  husband  and  the  cause  of  Jesus  which 
he  represents.  Heroes  and  heroines  there  may  be, 
on  battlefields,  in  State  displomacy,  in  halls  of  legis- 
lation and  in  the  councils  of  State;  but  there  is  no 
hero  of  these  classes  but  whose  cro^vn  will  pale  away 
before  the  brightness  of  a  faithful,  self-sacrificing 
minister's  wife,  who'  is  at  home,  taking  all  her  cross. 


17 


258  "LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

Ix^arin^  for  Jesus'   sake,  that  her  husband  may  be 
^atJieriuoj  sheaves  for  the  heavenly  harvest. 

Such  a  woman  was  Susan  Daniel  Jordan,  if  we 
have  rightly  conceived  her  character.  Such  a  woman 
as  she,  God  will  not  let  die  unnoticed.  But  like  the 
noo<l  woman  of  the  Scnptures  of  whom  Jesus  said, 
'•  There  shall  also  this,  that  this  woman  hath  done, 
1  (  told  as  a  uiomorial  of  her,"  so  shall  ''be  toW  of 
this  sister  as  her  "memorial"  what  she  hath  done  for 
l.er  Lord. 

The  "farewell  kiss"  and  the  "'welcome  kiss  at 
home,"  liad  l>een  g'iven  for  the  long'  number  of  years 
to  her  husband  as  to  and  fro  he  went  preaching  the 
gospel  and  baptizing  thousands  of  converts;  but  the 
last  "welcome  home"  came  on  Monday  evening  before 
her  death.  Soon  after,  disease  came  upon  her ;  for 
several  hours  l>efore  death  she  lay  unconscious  and 
tlien  lier  spirit  departed.  Who  that  knew  this  good 
womau,  aud  who  that  knows  her  sorrowing  husband, 
will  not  heave  a  sigh  or  drop  a  tear  as  these  lines  are 
read.  Our  dear  brother  in  the  ministry,  will  have 
the  pulsations  of  thousands  of  pious  souls  beating  in 
sympathy  Avith  liiui  when  the  sad  news  comes.  We 
commeud  liim  to  God  and  the  power  of  His  grace. 
And  so  we  do   all  the  family. 

On  Thursday  afternoon,  at  2  o'clock,  her  funeral 
was  preached  in  the  Baptist  Church  in  Ashe^dlle,  by 
llie  An-iter,  from  Luke  10:  22 — ^'Aud  was  caiTied  by 
the  augels  into  Al>raham's  bosom." 

A  long  procession  of  carriages  followed  the  remaius 
to  tlie  new  Asheville  cemetery.  On  an  evening, 
sunny  slo]x^,  which  overlooks  the  beautiful  French 
Broad  Biver  she  was  laid  to  rest,  a  spot  so  beautiful 
;i-  to  suggest  the  glories  of  the  comiug  resurrection. 

"vSlie  is  not  dead  but  sleepeth." 

Joseph  E.  Carter. 


CHAPTEE  XIV. 


Mt.  Aiiy — A  Long  Trip  with  J.  K.  Connally — Various  Meet- 
ings— J.  R.  Pendergrass — Liberty  and  Ducktown — Mar- 
ried— Doing  Mission  Work  —  Tusquitee— Brasstown — In 
Macon  County— 1889— A  New  Home— With  Brother  Con- 
nally Again — Home. 


MT.   AIRY. 


The  9 til  of  February,  1887,  I  began  a  meeting-  at 
Mt.  Airy,  Surry  County.  The  churches  were  cold, 
and  sinners  hardened  in  sin.  I  preached  twenty- 
one  nights,  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  The  church 
seemed  revived,  and  there  were  some  professions  of 
religion.  I  had  a  good  time  with  Bro.  C.  C.  Hay- 
more  in  the  meeting,  and  in  his  delightful  home. 
Also  brethren  E.  Galloway,  K.  T.  I^utt,  and  others. 

March  8. — I  visit  the  orphanage  at  Thomasville 
and  pray  for  and  preach  to  the  children. 

March  13. — I  preach  at  Rich  Fork  at  11  a.  m., 
and  at  night — spent  the  night  with  J.  H.  Mills. 

I  preached  a  week  at  night,  in  the  Baptist  Church 
in  Thomasville,  to  hardened  sinners. 

August  5. — Bro.  J.  K.  Connally  and  I  start  on  a 
long  missionar}^  tour  through  the  western  counties. 
We  preached  at  Enon,  Little  Biver,  and  a  week, 
alternately,  at  Brevard,  and  then  went  to  Mt.  Moriah, 
riat  Creek,  Fairfield,  and  Hamburgh.  We  attended 
the  meetino;  of  the  Tuckasei2:ee  Association  at  Cul- 


•J do  LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 

lowlioo.  Elder  S.  H.  Harriiiirton  preached  the  Intro- 
uiictoi-A'  Sennon. 

Saturday,  at  11  a.  m.,  Elder  J.  E.  Carter  preached 
a  nu'iiiorial  sennon  to  the  joy  and  comfort  of  many 
Christian  hearts.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon  a  real 
eld-fashioned  handshakini»-  ensued,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  seemed  to  l>e  present,  in  a  large  measure. 

Sunday  a  lari»-e  congreg-ation  assembled.  Bro. 
J.  K.  (V>mially  preached  a  solid  gospel  sennon  at  10 
;'..  ni.  I  followed  him  at  11  a.  m.  Good  order,  and 
gooil  attention.  Klder  S.  C.  Owen  preached  at  2 
]..  ni. 

August  -Jo. — We  begin  a  meeting  at  Head  of  Ten- 
nessee, in  Georgia.  I  preach  day  and  night  up  to 
Sunday.  Christians  are  made  to  rejoice,  and  we 
have  a  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

Sunday. — Brother  Connally  preached  a  sermon  of 
great  power  to  a  very  large  congregation.  At  night 
two  professions  of  religion.  The  meeting  continued 
a  wcK^'k,  and  proved  a  great  blessing  to  the  church  and 
conmuinity. 

S(^ptember  2. — Bro.  Thomas  Carter  and  I  start  to 
llic.  Western  Xorth  Carolina  Association  at  Hayes- 
\ille,  (^lay  County.  Beached  the  meeting  on  Sat- 
urday. Sunday  a  large  congTegation  assembled.  Bro. 
.1.  \V.  r. awing  preached  at  10  a.  m.,  and  T  followed 
at  11  a.  ni.  Elder  Thomas  Carter  preached  in  the 
altornoon,  and  tlic  Association  closed.  I  remained 
and  protracted  the  meeting. 


ELDER  F.  M.  JORDAN.  ^^U 

Preached  twice  a  day  for  eight  days.  Had  a  good 
re\^i\'al  meeting,  with  some  professions  of  religion, 
and  had  a  good  time  with  Elder  J.  W.  Hall,  and 
brethren  Trnett,  Cherrv  and  many  otliers. 

This  interesting  incident  is  in  point  just  here  with 
leference  to  Elder  J.  R.  Pendergrass: 

Franklix^  Macon  County^  N.  C. 

Dear  Bro.  F.  M.  Jordax  : — With  pleasure  I 
grasp  my  pen  to  declare  the  benefit  which  your 
example  and  preaching,  as  an  humble  servant  of 
C^lirist,  has  been  to  me.  I  met  you  first  in  the  town 
of  Hayesville,  Clay  County,  N.  C,  in  the  year  1887, 
\\  here  the  vacation  before  my  last  yeiar  as  a  student 
at  AVake  Forest  College  was  spent  in  teaching.  The 
devil  had  persuaded  me  not  to  return  to  college  and 
complete  my  course  of  study  as  a  ministerial  student, 
but  to  follow  the  advice  of  Horace  Greeley,  ''Young 
man,  go  West." 

While  making  my  way  to  the  West,  I  Avas,  uncon- 
ciously,  driven  into  the  Hayesville  Baptist  Church, 
Avhere  you  were  conducting  a  protracted  meeting, 
and  listened  to  your  sermon  on  the  notable  subject, 
"Christian  Emulation."  As  I  sat  there  on  that  cold 
bench  without  living  parent,  or  a  roof  under  which 
to  shelter  this  body  on  earth,  the  darkness  which 
hovered  o'er  me  broke  up,  and  a  true  view  of  duty 
came  home  to  me,  boi^ue  on  the  wings  of  your  rich 
and  loving  voice. 

There,  in  that  meeting-house,  on  that  day,  and  in 
that  service,  God's  Holy  Spirit  seized  me,  as  sensi- 
bly as  a  steel  trap  catches  the  mink ;  my  judgment 
was  humbled,  my  mind  became  willing,  and  I 
returned  to  Wake  Forest,  finished  my  education,  and 


262  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 

lia\f  happily  enjoyed  both  the  presence  and  blessing 
of  the  T^jrd  in  almost  everything  which  I  have  -under- 
taken from  tliat  glad  day,  and  from  that  blessed 
service. 

Later,  yonr  presence  again  encouraged  me,  when 
yon  came  to  Macon  County,  across  deep  rivers  and 
rougli  mountains,  tlirough  the  cold  December  weather, 
to  hold  revival  meetings  in  our  churches.  While  at 
Coweta  where  you  preached  twice  a  day  for  two 
weeks,  notwithstanding  the  rain,  sleet,  and  snow, 
large  congregations  attended  and  the  Lord  gave  con- 
versions and  additions  to  the  church  at  almost  every 
service.  The  good  results  of  that  meeting  still  live, 
and  vour  livelv  sermons  and  name  are  fondlv  cher- 
ished  by  the  best  citizens  and  Christians  of  that 
community. 

]May  the  Lord  give  you  many  days  and  strength 
and  couraire  to  continue  snatchinir  vouncr  men  from 
the  snares  of  the  devil,  as  David  did  the  sheep  from 
the  lion  and  the  lamb  from  the  paw  of  the  bear, 
and  send  them  on  their  way  rejoicing  to  that  better 
land.  J.   R.   Pendergrass. 

From  Kayesville  I  went  to  Peachtree,  in  Cherokee 
County,  and  preached  five  days ;  and  then'  to  Marble 
Springs,  and  preached  five  days,  and  Bro.  J.  TV. 
flawing  baptized  eight  as  the  result  of  the  meeting. 
Wliilo.  at  Peachtree  and  Marble  I  greatly  enjoyed 
tlie  homes  of  the  McGuires,  brethren  Lawing,  A.  B. 
Smith,  and  many  others. 

LIBERTY   AND  DUCKTOWN  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Scj^tember  2S. — T  spent  the  night  with  Thomas 
Dickey    in   Mnrphy,   and   start  to  the  Liberty   and 


ELDER  F.  M.    JORDAN.  263 

Duckto\vn  Association,  which  meets  at  Liberty 
Church,  twenty  miles  southwest  of  Murphy.  The 
Association  met  Friday,  September  30th,  Elder 
McGee,  Moderator,  and  A.  J.  Kilpatrick,  Clerk. 

This  Association  is  largely  anti-mission  in  prac- 
tice. Bro.  J.  W.  Hall  preached  at  11  a.  m.,  Friday, 
and  I  preached  at  11  on  Saturday,  ^ot  one  cent  is 
sent  up  from  the  twenty-seven  churches  for  any 
object,  save  the  printing  of  minutes. 

I  preached  at  11  a.  m.,  Sunday.  A  collection  was 
taken  for  foreign  missions,  amounting  to  seven  dol- 
lars. T  think  this  was  the  first  collection  ever  taken 
in  the  Association  for  foreign  missions.  I  wonder 
how  this  compares  with  tbe  Liberty  and  Ducktown 
now?  I  returned  to  Murphy  and  preached  in  the 
Methodist  Church  at  night.  On  my  return  I 
preached  at  Hiwassee,  in  Georgia.  Came  on  to  the 
Western  Convention,  which  met  in  Clyde,  Haywood 
County,  October  15,  1887 — a  very  good  session  of 
the  Convention.  The  church  decided  to  protract  the 
meeting.  I  preached'  day  and  night  through  the 
week;  the  church  seemed  greatly  to  enjoy  the  meet- 
ing, and  there  were  a  great  many  penitents,  but  not 
many  professions  of  religion  at  the  time.  But  old 
Brother  Haynes  told  me  that  at  a  meeting  they  held 
some  time  afterwards  there  were  nineteen  persons 
who  united  with  the  church,  and  dated  their  con- 
victions to  that  meeting  in  which  I  did  the  preach- 


:>t)4  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

inir;  ?ai(l  lie  thoiio-ht  T  ought  to  know  it.      The  seed 
must  bo  sown  before  there  can  be  a  harvest 

I  returned  home  after  an  absence  of  nearly  three 
ni<mtiis,  having  attended  three  Associations,  six  pro- 
tracUMl  meetings,  and  preached  seventy-five  sermons, 
at  which  there  were  about  forty  professions  of  reli- 
gion, and  twenty-seven  immersions. 

A  SAD  DAY. 

October  :^0. — I  spent  the  last  day  at  our  once 
liaji]\v  liome.  The  mother  is  in  heaven  and  the 
children  scatt/cred  and  gone.  We  decide  to  break  up 
and  sell  the  farm. 

October  27. — I  bid  farewell  to  our  once  lovely  and 
happy  home.  Bro.  T.  K.  Connally  gave  me  a  good 
horse,  and  a  22-dollar  suit  of  clothes.  He 
has  been  a  gi-eat  friend  to  me  and  my  family.  The 
Lord  bless  him  and  give  him  an  undivided  family  in 
heaven. 

I  liave  decided  to  locate  at  Hayesville,  Clay 
County.  God  alone  knows  how  lonely  and  sad  I 
feel.  Leave  Asheville  for  my  new  home  with  my 
horse  and  buggy,  botli  presents  from  Brother  Con- 
nally. 

I  stop  at  Sylva  and  preach  five  nights — good  meet- 
in  li. 

X(»venibor  5. — Spent  the  night  with  Elder  Thomas 
( 'arter,  at  Kabun  Gap,  Ga. 

Sunday,  IS'ovember  6,  1887. — Miss  Gracie  E.  Sit- 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDx'lN.  ^Co 

ton  and  T  were  married  at  9  o'clock  by  Elder  Thomas 
Carter  at  liis  residence.  May  our  union  be  a  Happy 
one,  and  tend  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of 
the  world. 

November  12. — AVe  left  Franklin  for  Clay 
County.  AVe  spend  the  night  with  old  Bro.  G.  W. 
Crawford,  and  Sunday  I  preach  at  Cartoogajay. 
Monday  we  cross  the  [N^antahala  and  Tusquitee 
Mountains,  and  spend  the  night  with  James  Shearer, 
on  Tusquitee.  Wife  was  charmed  with  the  scenery 
as  we  passed  over  the  mountains,  viewing  the  won- 
derful works  of  God. 

We  spent  several  days  with  old  Bro.  John  H.  John- 
son, who  has  a  fine  farm,  and  live®  like  a  prince.  My 
wife  and  I  went  down  into  his  bottoms,  got  some 
watermelons,  killed  two  squirrels,  and  caught  a  fine 
o'possum.  We  shall  make  our  home  with  T.  B.  Bris- 
tol, a  charming  family  on  Tusquitee,  when  not  trav- 
elling around. 

We  go  to  Murphy,  and  begin  a  meeting  I^ovember 
27th.  Murphy  is  a  desperately  wicked  place.  Sin- 
ners are  hardened  in  sin.  Here  we  visited  families 
the  day,  preached  at  night,  and  visited  families  in 
the  coimtry,  w^hich  was  both  pleasant  and  profitable. 

I  preached  every  night  in  town  for  a  week  and 
visited  quite  a  number  of  families  all  around  in  the 
countr)'.     The  people  seemed  to  appreciate  our  vis- 


lJ()t>  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

itii  in  a  large  measure.     Our  home  in  Murphy  was 
with  Tliomas  Dickey. 

TUSQUITEE. 

Drc'cmlx'r  11. —  [  k'gan  a  meeting  at  Tusquitee, 
and  preached  twenty-one  days  in  succession.  Elder 
T.  J.  ^lartin  thought  it  was  a  series  of  good  sermons, 
hut  I  iliink  the  people  were  more  carried  away  with 
his  prayers  than  my  sermons.  He  was  wonderfully 
able  in  prayer,  and  could  bring  heaven  and  earth 
together.  Oh,  how  much  we  did  enjoy  that  meeting. 
llo  would  pray  and  T  would  preach,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  manifested  His  presence. 

The  professing  Christian  people  of  this  valley  are 
very  cold,  lukewarm  and  indifferent. 

"Nfr.  John  Moss,  an  aged,  and  very  wicked  man,  is 
deeply  concerned  about  his  soul's  salvation.  He  is 
the  eldest  son  of  Elder  Howell  Moss,  who  was  a  min- 
ister of  the  gospel  for  forty  years.  Last  night  he 
realized  the  pardon  of  his  sins  and  peace  with  God 
at  his  home.  He  made  an  open  profession  of  reli- 
gion to-day,  and  there  was  a  time  of  great  rejoicing. 

December  25. — Christmas  day,  at  10  a.  m.,  I  bap- 
tized Jolin  Moss  in  Tusquitee.  This  was  a  happy 
occasion. 

This  closes  the  privileges,  labors  and  toils  of  1887. 

BRASSTOWN. 

T  preached  a  week  at  BrasstoA^m,  with  Bro.  J.  W. 
Hall,  and  had  a  good  meeting. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  267 

In  February^  1888,  I  held  a  meeting  at  Shooting 
Creek,  Clay  County.  A  glorious  revival  meeting,  at 
the  close  of  which  I  baptized  seven  happy  souls. 

While  living  in  Clay  my  wife  and  I  visited  every 
family  on  Tusquitee,  from  head  to  mouth,  except 
two,  and  scores,  if  not  hundreds,  in  Clay  and  Chero- 
kee, and  all  over  that  country,  and  I  preached  more 
or  less  all  over  that  country,  and  some  in  Georgia. 

I  must  state  here  that  I  was  sent  to  Clay  and  Cher- 
okee by  our  beloved  brother,  J.  A.  Porter,  of  Ashe- 
ville,  individually.  I  was  his  missionary,  and 
reported  to  him,  aud  he  paid  me  for  my  labors.  I 
believe  it  was  all  under  the  direction  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  object  was  to  visit  the  people,  preach 
the  gospel,  edify  saints,  educate  and  strengthen  them 
in  the  grace  of  giving  to  missions,  education,  and  to 
engage  efficiently  in  every  good  word  and  work,  and 
win  souls  to  Christ.  It  may  be  that  Brother 
Porter  never  made  a  better  investment.  Oh,  the 
good  that  men  might  do,  who  have  the  means,  if  they 
only  had  the  will. 

:\larch  2,  1888.— We  left  our  delightful  home  at 
Brother  Bristol's,  and  the  dear  people  of  Tusquitee, 
for  Asheville;  crossed  the  mountains,  and  stopped 
with  Bro.  C  W.  CraA\rford,  and  preached  a  week  at 
Cartoogajay.  I  preached  in  Pranklin,  and  at  Holly 
Springs,  and  rested  a  few  days  with  Bro.  J.  D. 
Pranks. 

In  March  we  stop  at  Hamburgh,  Jackson  County, 


20S  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

and  1  preach  eleven  days;  had  a  glorious  revival 
nieetinir  mid  a  pXKlly  niimlx^r  of  happy  converts.  I 
haptizcil  tjuite  a  niiinber  in  the  Tuckaseigee  Kiver. 
.1.  II.  House,  of  Sylva,  and  Zeb  Watson,  of  Cnllow- 
hee,  both  tine  school  teachers,  were  among  the  num- 
Ix^r.  Als(.)  Franklin  Watson,  who  is  now  a  fine  law- 
yer and  prominent  Baptist.  This  was  a  meeting 
fill-  rcju'hing  in  its  results. 

,lune  10,  1888. — We  came  to  Macon  County,  and 
made  nnr  headcpiarters  in  the  delightful  home  of 
Bro.  .1.  D.  Fi-iinks.  Here  T  held  good  meetings  with 
l>n>.  S.  II.  Harrington,  at  Flats  of  Middle  Creek, 
Teasanty,  and  Coweta,  in  which  there  were  many 
professions  of  I'eligion,  and  a  goodly  number  bap- 
tized. T  held  a  meeting  at  Ellajay,  and  had  a  lively 
time  with  the  Campbellites.  I  was  with  Bro.  A.  B. 
Thomas  in  a  good  meeting  in  Bumingtown.  And 
then  we  had  a  good  meeting  at  Briartown,  on  N^anta- 
hala.  And  then  a  good  meeting  at  Cowee.  So  that 
I  have  preached  nearly  all  over  Macon  County. 

In  Xovemlx^r  we  returned  to  Asheville,  and  the 
7th  of  December  we  rented  a  house  and  lot  in  Bre- 
vard and  commenced  housekeeping. 

1880. — Having  a  body  of  timbered  land  in  Transyl- 
vania County,  T  built  a  comfortable  house  during 
this  year  and  moved  into  it,  November  23rd. 

September  1. — Bro.  J.  K.  Connally  and  I  started 
rm  a  praching  tour  through  the  counties  of  Bimcombe, 
]\radison,    Yancey,    Mitchell,    Watauga,    Ashe    and 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  269 

Alleghany.  We  attended  the  Yancey  County  Asso- 
ciation on  Jack's  Creek,  and  preached  in  Bnms- 
ville,  Jefferson,  and  attended  the  Ashe  and  Alle- 
ghany Association,  in  Ashe  County. 

I   preached   ahont   a  week   in    Sparta,   Alleghany 
County; 

The  Hardshell  Association  was  held  near  by,  and 
begaii  on  Friday.  We  thought  almost  everybody 
would  go  to  the  Association,  and  that  it  was  hardly 
worth  while  to  continue  the  meeting.  But  I  have 
ever  felt  that  we  made  a  mistake.  We  ought  to  have 
gone  riirht  on,  two  or  tliree  weeks.  I  reckon  I  should 
have  remained  but  for  one  thing.  Here  Brother 
Comially  left  me,  o-ot  into  a  wagon,  went  to  Winston, 
took  the  cars,  and  went  home.  There  I  was  alone, 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  home,  and  then 
tlio.  thought  of  that  long,  lonesome  road,  across  rivers, 
and  over  mountains,  and  all  the  way  alone.  I  felt 
so  lonely  and  sad,  that  I  did  not  feel  much  like 
preaching.  But  I  reckon  Brother  Connally  thought 
he  would  make  some  amends  for  leaving  me.  So 
when  I  got  back  to  Asheville,  he  made  me  a  present 
of  his  fine  175-dollar  buggy,  which  buggy  I  have  yet. 
I  was  gone  from  home  just  one  month. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


My  Brotlier  John— A  Model  Farmer— Twice  Married— Church 
Member — Sunday  School  Superintendent — His  Library — 
Strong  Convictions,  Politically  and  Religiously — Great 
Admirer  of  W.  J.  Bryan— Strong  Temperance  Man- 
Naturally  Bright  and  Witty— Marriage  of  His  Daughter— 
The  Convention  in  New  Bern — Sickness  and  Death. 


MY   BROTPIER    JOHN. 


Mv  brother  John  Jordan,  was  born  in  Montgom- 
ery Coiintv,  'North.  Carolina,  September  the  8th, 
1828.  He  and  I  grew  up  together  on  the  farm, 
worked  together  in  the  fields,  fished  and  hunted 
togetJier,  w^ent  to  church  and  Sunday-school  together, 
and  loved  each  other  as  David  and  Jonathan.  In 
fact  no  two  brothers  ever  enjoyed  life  together  better 
than  we.  He  was  born  to  be  a  farmer  and  became 
an  ideal  one.  His  judgment  concerning  agricultural 
interests  was  unsurpassed.  His  farm  was  always 
neat,  his  tools  in  the  very  best  of  order  and  his  fences 
high,  tight  and  strong.  He  had  a  place  for  every 
tiling,  and  kept  everything  in  its  place.  His  theory 
was  that  nothing  made  good  neighbors  like  good  line 
fences,  and  he  never  lay  down  at  night  feeling  uneasy 
lest  his  neighbor's  cattle  might  break  into  his  fields. 

His  home  was  a  pleasant  and  hospitable  one,  and 
he  alw^ays  took  great  pleasure  in  entertaining  his 
friends.  He  was  tmce  married,  his  first  wife  being- 
Miss     Mary     Suggs,     an     industrious,     persevering 


•J  r2  lAFK   AND   LABORS   OF 

wonijin,  l)y  wIkhh  he  had  seven  children — five  girls 
and  two  boys — all  of  whom,  save  Mary,  are  living. 
His  s(Hj4:>nd  wife  was  Mrs.  Mary  Shipman,  widow  of 
the  lato  Edward  Shipman.  and  dangliter  of  ^'Uncle 
,l{)oV'  Allen,  well  and  favorably  known  all  over  West- 
cvu  \orth  Carolina.  Tn  early  manhood  he  made  a 
})rofession  of  religion,  was  baptized  by  Elder  A.  D. 
Blackwood,  and  nnited  with  the  old  home  church, 
Forks  of  Little  Kiver,  in  Montgomery  County.  Every 
department  of  church  work  had  a  faithful  helper  in 
him.  He  was  a.  Sunday-school  Superintendent  dur- 
ing a  large  part  of  his  life,  and  a  deacon  for  more 
than  forty  years.  None  of  the  church  services  were 
ever  missed  by  him  unless  he  was  providentially  kept 
away.  lie  ahvays  counted  one  every  time.  He  was 
a  Baptist  to  the  core,  and  a  thoroughly  religious  man. 
The  Bible  and  the  Biblical  Recorder  about  constituted 
his  lil»i-ary.  Keligiously  and  politically  he  was  a 
man  of  st.rong  convictions.  Politically  he  w^as  a 
Drmocrat.  and  never  anything  else.  It  was  his  con- 
viction that  Christian  mon  should  take  a  deep  inter- 
est in  politics,  local,  state,  national  and  international. 
With  him  the  more  religion  you  got  into  politics  the 
W'ttci'.  To  him  it  was  a  burning  shame  for  other- 
wise good  citizens  to  stay  away  from  primaries  and 
elections,  and  thus  allow  the  scum  of  the  community 
to  run  the  Government.  .Vnd  he  did  all  in  his  power 
1o  defeat  a  man  who  was  a  candidate  for  election  to 
the  Legislature  because  ''he  was  neither  fit  to  stav  at 


ELDER  F.   M,   JORDAN.  273 

liome  nor  go  to  Raleigh/*'  On  one  occasion  he  was 
riding  home  from  town  with  a  neighbor.  The  neigh- 
bor was  a  Republican,  and  said  something  deroga- 
tory to  the  Democrats,  whereupon  my  brother  made 
him  stop  his  horse,  got  out  and  walked  home,  saving 
ho  would  not  be  caught  riding  in  the  same  wagon 
with  such  a  man.  He  was  a  great  admirer  of  W.  J. 
Ervau,  and  while  on  his  death  bed  said,  "I  am  for 
Bryan  to  the  end."  Notwithstanding  his  pronoimced 
Democratic  proclivities,  he  was  held  in  high  esteem 
by  all  who  knew  him,  of  whatever  political  persua- 
sion, and  was  always  regarded  as  one  of  the  very  best 
citizens  in  every  community  where  he  lived.  'No 
one  ever  questioned  his  sincerity,  religiously  or  polit- 
ically, and  he  was  always  regarded  as  a  genuine 
Christian  gentleman. 

Temperance  was  with  him  a -cardinal  virtue.  When 
the  Good  Templars  organized  a  lodge  in  Hillsboro, 
he  became  one  of  the  first  members,  and  though  he 
lived  three  miles  in  the  country,  rarely  missed  one 
of  their  weekly  meetings.  The  members  seemed  to 
think  they  could  hardly  have  a  meeting  without 
^T^ncle  John,"  as  they  called  him,  and  always 
demanded  a  speech,  to  which  demand  he  never  failed 
to  respond  in  the  liveliest  possible  manner,  keeping 
the  lodge  convulsed  with  laughter,  sometimes  for 
half  an  hour.  One  evening  he  was  late  to  the  meet- 
ing,  and   in   explaining  his  lateness   said  his   mule 

18 


L>74  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

wouldn't  let  him  catch  him.  'Tinally,"  said  he, 
"after  fooling  with  him  for  nearly  an  hour,  I  got  a 
rail  and  knocked  him  do^vn,  and  when  he  came  to 
.  1  liad  the  hridle  and  saddle  on  him  and  was  on  his 
hack." 

TFc  Ix^lieved  in  good,  wholesome  food,  and  kept 
an  abundance  of  good  things  to  eat  on  his  table,  but 
drew^  the  line  at  onions.  Would  not  allow  them  to 
be  raised  on  his  place.  His  oldest  son,  "Kit,"  w^as 
\orv  fond  of  them.  Frequently  he  would  come  to 
my  house,  go  into  the  garden,  pull  them  up  and  eat 
tliem,  top  and  all.  Sometimes  when  going  to  mill, 
he  would  take  a  piece  of  cornbread  in  his  pocket,  go 
i  y  the  home  of  an  old  negro,  buy  a  lot  of  onions,  put 
them  up  Ix^fore  him  on  his  horse,  and  go  on  to  mill 
oating  cornbread  and  onions.  But  when  he  got  home 
he  had  to  hold  his  breath  while  in  the  presence  of 
hi?  father. 

^ly  Ijrother  didn't  have  much  education,  but  was 
blessed  with  good,  hard,  common  sense,  which  he 
used  to  great  advantage.  He  w^as  naturally  bright 
and  one  of  the  wittiest  men  I  ever  knew.  It  mat- 
tered not  what  sort  of  a  crowed  he  w^as  in,  his  dry 
liumor  kept  thrm  all  amused.  His  oldest  daughter 
married  W.  A.  Smitli,  of  Hendersonville.  ]^ow, 
Mr.  Smith's  hair  isn't  exactly  red,  but  it  shades 
deeply  in  tliat  direction.  When  he  asked  my  broth- 
er's consent  to  the  marriage  he  scratched  his  head 
awhile  and  said,  "Well,  Smith,  I  guess  you  can  have 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  275 

her,  but  I  would  much  rather  your  head  was  a  dif- 
ferent color."  But  his  daughter  made  no  mistake 
in  marrjdng  Smith,  for  he  is  a  thorough  Christian 
gentleman,  and  one  of  the  best  citizens  in  all  of 
Western  ISTorth  Carolina. 

I  once  attended  with  him  a  meeting  of  the  State 
Convention  in  'New  Bern.  He  was  sent  to  one  of  the 
most  fashionable  homes  in  the  city,  and  with  him 
an  old  brother  from  the  sand  hills,  who  rode  a  little 
grey  mule  nearly  a  hundred  miles  to  attend  the  Con- 
vention. The  old  man  had  never  been  used  to  nap- 
kins at  the  table  and  didn't  know  what  to  do  with 
his,  so  he  put  it  in  his  pocket.  One  day  he  said  to 
my  brother :  ''These  are  the  nicest  people  I  ever 
saw  in  my  life;  every  time  you  go  to  the  table  they 
give  you  a  pocket-handkerchief."  My  brother  said 
that  when  they  left  for  home  the  old  fellow  had 
thirteen  napkins  in  his  coat-tail  pocket,  enough  cloth 
to  make  him  a  shirt.  One  night  he  got  lost  on  his 
way  from  church,  and  despairing  of  ever  being  able 
to  find  his  home,  paid  a  little  negro  ten  cents  tO'  show 
him  to  a  hotel. 

We  always  lived  near  each  other  till  the  last  few 
years  of  his  life.  In  1876  we  moved  from  Orange 
to  Henderson  County,  he  purchasing  the  Huger 
farm,  four  miles  southeast  of  Hendersonville.  Here 
he  was  greatly  astonished  at  the  poor  house  in  which 
some  of  the  people  lived ;  said  you  could  see  through 
them  from  one  side  to  the  other,  and  some  of  the 


27 G  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

cracks  wtn-  hig-  eiioucli  for  a  good-sized  pig  to  crawl 
tliroii<rli.  In  fact,  ho  said  the  children  sometimes 
iTot  fastened  in  the  cracks  and  von  could  hear  them 
sqneal  like  pigs,  waiting  for  someone  to  come  and 
])iill  them  nut.  There  were  more  himiped-back  peo- 
ph^  in  Polk  ('( unity,  he  said,  than  in  any  place  he 
ever  saw,  and  he  accounted  for  it  on  the  groimd  that 
their  county  was  mountainous,  the  roads  bad,  and 
thev  liad  to  earrv  their  wood  and  almost  everytliing 
else  nil  their  backs.  Why,  he  said  a  Polk  County 
man  thought  nothing  of  packing  a  bushel  of  peaches 
to  lI('iid('r<oTi\'ill(',  twenty  miles  aw^ay.  It  was  his 
l)elief  that  it  could  rain  harder  and  quicker  in  the 
nioimtains  than  anywhere  in  the  world.  Said  one 
day  he  was  at  work  in  the  field  when  he  saw^  a  little 
cloiid  ahoiit  the  size  of  his  hand  come  creeping  over 
the  iiionntaiii.  He  imagined  it  was  about  the  size  of 
the  cloud  which  went  before  the  children  of  Israel. 
i)ire<^'tly  it  got  right  up  over  him  when  the  whole 
hottcmi  fell  out  and  he  never  got  such  a  wetting  in 
his  life.  Said  he  went  home  and  changed  his  clothes, 
hut  it  didn't  do  a  grain  of  good — he  was  wet  plum 
through  and  through,  and  the  water  kept  oozing  out 
of  hi  111  all  day. 

Soon  after  his  se<'ond  marriage  he  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  laud  lying  east  of  Hendersonville 
from  Bishop  Lyman,  a  part  of  which,  with  the  linger 
farm,  he  sold,  reserving  enough  for  a  good  home. 
Ilcn^   with   his   good    wife   and   yoimgest   son,    sur- 


ELr>P]R  F.   M.    JORDAN.  277 

rounded  bv  kind  neighbors,  enjoying  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  everybody  who  knew  him,  he  was  resid- 
ing in  peace  and  happiness,  when  the  sickness  which 
ended  in  deatli  in  a  few  days  overtook  him.  That  he 
might  he  near  the  doctors  he  was  moved  into  Hen- 
dersonville,  to  the  residence  of  his  son-in-law,  W.  A. 
Smith.  For  several  days  his  sufferings  were  intense, 
but  wlien  death  came,  all  was  peace.  He  died  on 
the  28th  of  September  1897,  aged  sixty-nine  years 
and  twe^Qty  days. 

Rest,  brother,  rest.  Separated  but  a  little  longer, 
we  shall  soon  clasp  hands  on  the  eternal  shore.  There 
in  the  presence  of  Him  who  loved  ns  and  gave  him- 
self for  us,  we  shall  unite  our  voices  in  thanksgiv- 
ings for  the  love  that  sought  us,  the  blood  that  washed 
us,  and  the  grace  that  saved  us. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


My  Recollections  of  Elder  Elias  Dodson— Union  of  the  Con- 
ventions—Meeting at  Jersey  Church,  Davidson  County — 
Letter  from  A.  T.  Rob  rtson— Letter  from  W.  J.  Sholar — 
Letter  from  J.  B.  Richardson— Winston — Jersej'  Church — 
Letter  from  F.  H.  Jones— Letter  from  J.  F.  Love. 


MY    KEOOLLECTIONS    OF    ELDER    ELIAS    DODSON. 

Elder  Elias  Dodson  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  but 
spent  most  of  his  life  in  ]^ortli  Carolina.  He  and  I 
were  intimately  associated  together  in  the  service  of 
God  for  about  twenty-live  years.  During  the  twenty 
years  that  I  lived  in  the  Beulah  Association  we  were 
together  in  nearly  all  the  Conventions,  Associations 
and  Union  Meetings,  and  a  great  many  protracted 
meetings.  In  some  ways  he  was  eccentric,  and  a 
stranger  would  not  have  known  how  to  appreciate 
him;  to  those  who  were  intimately  acquainted  with 
him  he  was  one  of  the  most  lovable  of  men.  He  was 
a  graduate  of  William  and  Mary  College,  Virginia, 
if  my  memory  serves  me  correctly,  and  had  a  most 
wonderful  memory.  He  could  repeat  almost  a  whole 
sermon,  that  he  heard  many  years  ago,  and  page  after 
page  of  beautiful  poetry,  and  other  literature  which 
he  had  read.  He  kept  a  diary  of  his  life,  in  which 
he  recorded  many  things  of  interest,  some  very  impor- 
tant, and  others  quite  amusing.  When  he  woidd 
come  to  our  house,  I  would  spend  a  good  deal  of  my 


2S0  LirE  AND   T.ABORS   OF 

time  'reading-  his  diaries.  Some  one  doubtless  has 
tluso  diaries  now,and  it  is  a  wonder  to  me  that  nobody 
lias  written  a  bioo-raphy  of  this  good  man.  He  was 
wonderfully  ac<.nirate  in  remembering  dates  and  giv- 
inir  statistics;  and  I  suppose  was  the  best  historian 
of  his  day.  When  the  Baptist  State  Convention  met 
ill  llillslx)ro  in  1S6S,  Judge  Ruffin  made  a  special 
retpiest  that  brother  l)o<:lson  be  sent  to  him.  Said 
that  he  was  the  best  historian  and  the  most  entertain- 
ing man  that  he  had  met.  This  was  certainly  a  great 
eonipl  ill  lent,  coming  from  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 
State. 

Oiu'  night  during  this  meeting  of  the  Convention, 
Brother  1  )odson  and  I  were  sitting  in  church  together  ; 
he  thought  some  of  the  brethren  were  making  rather 
wild  speeches.  He  whispered  to  me  and  said, 
^'Brother  Jordan,  common  sense  is  a  very  scarce  com- 
modity here  to-night."  I  think  that  I  can  safely  say, 
he  was  the  most  consecrated  man  to  the  service  of  God 
I  ever  knciv.  II(  liad  no  settled  home,and  yet  he  Avas 
at  hnnic  everywhere  he  went,  for  almost,  if  not 
e\-ervl)ody  seemed  to  love  him,  and  were  glad  to  see 
him  come,  and  sorry  when  he  left.  Before  the  Civil 
war  he  had  good  property,  good  landed  estate,  and 
some  fine  negroes.  He  had  gi'eat  confidence  in  the 
snccess  of  the  Southern  Confederacy;  sold  his  land 
fnr  Crmfederatc  bonds  and  lost  that,  and  then  Lin- 
cnhi  free<l  his  negroes,  and  thus  he  lost  his  property. 
And  then  at  the  close  of  the  war  some  Yankees  met 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  281 

him  in  the  road  and  took  his  wat<5h  away  from  him, 
the  only  thing  he  had  left.  I  Avas  then  pastor  of 
Clement  Chnrch,  in  Person  Coimty.  On  Sunday 
morning  lie  came  to  Clement.  You  can  imagine 
about  how  he  felt — land  gone — negroes  gone^ — watch 
gone —  everything  lost.  I  asked  him  to'  preach.  He 
took  his  text,  "Lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in 
heaven."  How  appropriate,  how  uncertain  all 
earthly  things.  I  shall  never  forget  how  he  looked — 
lonely,  sad  and  pitiful.  He  gave  a  graphic  descrip- 
tion of  the  uncertainty  of  all  earthly  things,and  urged 
the  importance  of  laying  up  treasure  in  heaven,where 
the  Yankees  could  not  get  it.  Said  all  that  he  had 
saved,  he  had  lost,  and  all  that  he  had  given  away  he 
had  saved.  "Thank  God,"  said  he,  "it  is  in  heaven 
now  where  the  Yankees  can't  get  it."  He  gave  his 
salary  to  objects  of  benevolence — home  and  foreign 
missions,  education  and  the  poor.  He  was  a  Baptist 
to  the  core,  and  made  no  coaiipromise  whatever  with 
heresy.  He  believed  fully,  and  taught,  that  the 
Scriptures  require  a  scriptural  subject,  a  scriptural 
baptism,  by  a  scripturally  qualified  administrator,  to 
constitute  scriptural  membership  in  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ.  On  one  occasion  he  and  old  Bro.  John 
Robertson  were  conducting  a  good  meeting,  and  one 
day  a  Pedobaptist  preacher  came,  and  someone  asked 
Brother  Dodson  if  he  were  not  going  to  ask  him  to 
preach.  "What,"  he  says,  "Invite  heresy  intO'  the 
pulpit,  invite  heresy  into  the  pulpit!"     There  was  a 


2^2  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

man  bv  the  name  of  Webster,  who  asked  Brother  Dod- 
son  to  baptize  him,  and  let  him  still  remain  in  the 
Metho<list  C'hurch.  Brother  Dodson  said  to  him: 
''Yon  jnst  go  on  drv  so,  you  just  go  on  dry  so."  He 
thought  sprinkling  was  good  enough  for  him,  if  he 
were  going  to  remain  with  the  Methodists. 

1I(^  travo](Ml  all  the  time,  preaching  the  gospel,  col- 
lecting money  for  missions,  and  getting  subscribers 
to  the  Biblical  Recorder,  and  looking  after  the  inter- 
est of  the  churches,  and  the  cause  of  Christ  generally. 
He  never  married,  not  because  he  did  not  want  a  wife, 
nor  because  he  did  not  try ;  for  he  courted  several  good 
women.  One  Sunday  morning  on  his  way  to  church 
he  asked  a  good  lady  if  she  would  consent  to  become 
his  companion.  She  declined.  They  went  on  to 
church ;  he  went  up  into  the  pulpit,  got  up  deliber- 
ately and  walked  down  the  aislato  this  good  lady,  and 
said,  "Miss  Bettie,  please  don't  say  anything  about 
what  I  said  to  you  this  morning." 

On  another  occasion  he  asked  a  good  woman  if  sh.e 
would  have  him.  She  refused.  ''Well,"  he  says, 
'Svill  you  take  the  Biblical  Recorder?''  I  suppose  he 
thought  that  if  she  would  not  have  him  the  next  best 
thing  she  could  do  would  be  to  take  the  Biblical 
Recorder.  The  Recorder  never  had  a  stronger  friend 
or  advocate. 

When  he  started  out  in  life,  he  had  a  fine  horse,  and 
from  some  cause  his  horse  killed  a  little  negro,  and 
lie  never  would  have  a  fat,fine-looking  horse  any  more 


ELDER  F.  M.    JORDAN.  283 

for  fear  he  would  kill  somebody.  So  lie  generaly  rode 
an  inferior  horse.  On  one  occasion  he  met  a  little 
boy,  who  asked  him  where  he  was  going.  The  old 
man  replied,  ''I  am  a  follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  ''Well,"  the  little  fellow  says,  "you  will 
have  to  get  a  better  horse  than  this,  or  you  will  never 
overtake  Him." 

He  generally  rode  horseback,  sometimes  in  a  buggy. 
He  was  unusually  economical,  rather  on  the  extreme. 

During  the  war,  he  and  I  were  in  a  meeting 
together  at  Cool  Spring,  Orange  County.  His  knees 
were  out  of  his  pants.  One  night  my  wife  made  him 
a  pair  of  pants,  and  made  him  a.  present  of  them.  I 
carried  them  to  chui*ch  ;  we  went  off  in  the  woods,  and 
he  put  them  on.  He  was  very  grateful  for  any  kind- 
ness shown  to  him.  He  acknowledged  God  in  every- 
thing, and  saved  every  cent  he  possibly  could  to  give 
to  some  object  of  benevolence.  Brother  Dodson  took 
an  active  part  in  establishing  Baptist  preaching  and 
Baptist  churches  in  the  towns.  He  said  Paul  did  not 
nefflect  the  towns.  He  had  the  old  court-house  in 
Hillsboro  rolled  up  the  street  two  or  three  hundred 
yards,  for  a  Baptist  meeting-house,  and  it  was  used 
by  tlie  Baptists  until  the  new  brick  house  was  built, 
principally  by  old  Sister  Washington,  mother  of  Mrs. 
W.  A.  Graham.  I  think  it  is  still  used  by  the  colored 
people.  "For  many  years  he  and  Elder  John  Robert- 
son preached  together  a  great  deal,  held  many  pro- 
tracted meetings,  and  baptized  a  great  many  people. 


284  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

Thov  were  the  pioneers  of  that  day,  and  were  indeed 
co-workers  tooether  with  God  in  the  salvation  of  tlie 
peoph^  establishinp^  ehnrclies,  and  Iniikling-  up  the 
kiiiii-doiii  of  (»iir  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  all  tliat 
Brotlur  l)ods(.n  did  and  said  he  was  pointed  and 
practical.  His  sermons  and  prayers  were  short.,  and 
irenerally  appropriate.  He  never  wearied  the  people. 
His  manner  of  condncting  family  worsliip  was  always 
achnirable;  read  a  few  verses,  and  offered  a  short 
prayer  of  about  two  minntes'  length.  The  sisters' 
bread  did  not  burn,  nor  the  children  go  to  sleep.  His 
plans  for  raising  money  for  missions  were  simple  and 
practical.  He  would  advisa  tlie  sisters  to  set  apart 
a  certain  hen,  and  sell  all  the  eggs  and  chickens  she 
raised.  To  the  brethren  he  wonld  say,  plant  a  patch, 
and  let  it  be  the  Lord's  patch, and  then  give  Him  all  it 
makes.  Sometimes  the -people  would  laugh  at  him, 
and  yet  thonsands  of  dollars  conld  have  been  raised  in 
this  way  more  easily,  and  snrely  than  any  other.  It 
would  be  well  for  the  brethren  and  sisters  to  follow  his 
advice  at  this  day  and  time. 

Last  year  Brother  Thomas  Stradley,  of  Buncombo 
County,  planted  two  ears  of  corn,  the  Lord's  patch 
for  foreiiiii  missions.  He  sold  the  proceeds  for  more 
tlian  three  dollars. 

Brother  dodsr»n  was  sometimes  quite  absent- 
minded.  Almost  invariably,  when  parting  vnth.  his 
friends,  he  would  say,  "I  wish  you  well  till  I  see  you 
a^ain."     On  one  occasion,  he  was  parting  with  one  of 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN.  285 

his  best  friends,  and  said,  "  I  wish  -I  may  never  see 


vou  afi'ain." 


Brother  Dodson  never  would  tell  me  his  age.  He 
wore  a  wi^'.  I  have  slept  with  him  time  and  again,  in 
the  same  room,  and  T  never  saw  him  take  o&  his  wia% 
nor  pnt  in  on ;  and  yet  he  took  it  off  every  night.  Tie 
would  put  out  the  light  before  he  took  it  off,  and  then 
manage  somehoW  to  put  it  on  without  my  seeing  him. 
His  liead  was  as  bakl  and  as  smooth  as  a  peeled  onion. 
I  saw  it  one  time. 

I  had  an  appointment  to  preach  near  Bro.  Sidney 
Lea's,  in  Caswell  Coimty.  Brother  Dodson,  in  com- 
pany with  Brothc-T  James  Poteat,  had  spent  the 
previous  night  in  the  neighborhood.  On  Sunday 
morning  they  started  to  church.  A  negro  was  putting 
them  across  tJie  swollen  river,  near  Brother  Lea's 
mill.  The  boat  tilted  to  one  side,  throwing  both 
Brother  Dodson  and  Brother  Poteat  into  the  water. 
The  negro  stayed  in  the  boat,  and  as  Brother  Dodson 
came  up  he  seized  him  by  the  hair  and  pulled  off  his 
wig.  The  poor  negro,  thinking  he  had  pulled  the 
whole  top  of  his  head  off,  was  frightened  almost  to 
death.  The  brethren  went  to  Brother  Lea's,  who  pro- 
vided each  of  them  with  a  dry  suit  of  clothes.  Brother 
Poteat's  clothes  fitted  him  very  well,  as  both  he  and 
Brother  Lea  were  large  men ;  but  Brother  Dodson' s 
were  large  enough  for  two  such  men.  When  they 
arrived  at  the  church  I  had  already  begun  the  service. 
Brotlier  Dodson  came  down  the  aisle  with  pants  and 


28C  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

sleeves  rolled  up,  and  looking  more  like  a  bundle  of 
quilts  than  a  Baptist  preacher.  I  think  I  could  have 
tied  a  string  around  his  ankles  and  put  a  bushel  of 
corn  in  each  pant  leg.  I  shall  never  forget  how  diffi- 
cult it  was  to  preach  with  him  sitting  there  on  the 
front  seat  looking  up  at  me  out  of  that  bundle  of 
clothes  with  that  peculiar  combination  of  smile  and 
frown  which  he  always  wore  upon  his  face. 

On  one  occasion  he  ^vas  traveling  through  Guilford 
County  and  stopped  at  the  services  of  a  Hardshell 
Baptist  Church.  The  preacher  was  describing  the 
transference  of  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant,  dwelling  par- 
ticularly upon  the  lowing  of  the  cows  as  they  left 
their  calves  behind  them.  Brother  Dodson  was  listen- 
ing with  amused  interest,  when  the  preacher  looked 
down  upon  him  and  said,  ^^Ilere  is  Brother  Dodson, 
goin'  up  and  down  the  country  a  lowin'  and  a  lowin', 
and  a  leavin'  his  calves  behind  him."  ^'Leave  out 
the  calves  brother,  please;  leave  out  the  calves,"  said 
Brother  Dodson,  twisting  and  frowming  in  his  seat. 
The  preacher  wanted  to  make  it  appear  that  Brother 
Dodson  was  making  a  gi'eat  many  converts  wherever 
he  went,  but  tlie  old  man  couldn't  see  the  fitness  of 
the  figure. 

He  frequently  visited  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Purefoy,  of 
Chapel  Hill,  who  owmed  a  great  many  goats.  One 
afternoon  lie  spent  considerable  time  watching  the 
goats  jumping  from  log  to  log  of  the  wood-pile.  That 
f'vcning  while  ho  was  conducting  family  worship  he 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  287 

stopped  in  the  midst  of  his  reading,  and,  looking  at 
Brother  Piiref  oy  over  his  spectacles,  the  same  mixture 
of  smile  and  frown  on  his  face,  said  quaintly, 
''Brother  Purefoy,  isn't  it  remarkable  how  high  a 
goat  can  jump,"  and  immediately  resumed  his  read- 
ing. He  had  evidently  intended  to  speak  of  it  before, 
but  it  had  escaped  his  memory.  But  with  all  his 
eccentricities  he  was  the  most  consecrated,  the  most 
saintly,  the  most  Christly  man  I  ever  knew.  His 
faith  was  perfect,  and  he  lived  in  the  very  spirit  and 
atmosphere  of  prayer  all  the  time.  Brother  Connelly 
once  lent  him  his  pony  to  ride  from  Asheville  to 
Hendersonville  and  back.  There  had  been  heavv 
rains,  the  streams  were  swollen,  the  roads  muddy  and 
the  trip  nearly  exhausted  him.  In  speaking  of  its 
hardships,  he  only  said,  ''I  didn't  pray  enough."  ]^o 
cue  ever  loved  him  more  than  I,  and  he  was  a  great 
help  to  me  in  my  ministry.  The  last  years  of  his 
life  were  spent  in  traveling  over  the  State  collecting 
money  1>o  support  missionaries  to  the  Indians.  With 
his  saddlebags  swinging  on  his  arms  he  visited  almost 
every  church  in  the  State  once  a  year.  Stopping  in  a 
to\^m,  he  would  preach  whenever  an  opportunity 
afforded  and  visit  the  members  of  the  church  individ- 
ually, asking  each  one  for  a  contribution.  If  they 
could  not  give  cash  he  would  ask  for  a  subscription, 
and  either  come  back  to  collect  the  subscription  or 
send  the  list  to  the  pastor  for  collection.  His  manner 
of   approaching   a    brother   was   somewhat   peculiar. 


THOS.   H.  JORDAN. 
(9th   Child. I 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  289 

Indians  now;  who  will  care  for  the  poor  Indians 
now  ?"  Soon  after  this  he  died  in  Wilmington,  J^.  C., 
in  the  home  of  Alexander  Oldham,  on  the  14:th  day 
of  December,  1882,  and  was  buried  by  the  side  of  the 
lamented  eJohn  L.  Pritchard,  once  the  able  and 
beloved  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  and  who  died  of 
yellow  fever  while  ministering  to  those  afflicted  with 
the  same  disease.  During  his  last  days  he  was 
tenderly  cared  for  by  Brother  and  Sister  Oldham,who 
buried  him  in  their  OAvn  burial  lot,  under  the  fragrant 
boughs  of  a  beautiful  magnolia  tree  which  they  had 
planted  twenty  years  before  his  death.  He  had  lived 
a  Christly  life,  he  died  a  Christly  death,  they  laid  him 
in  a  grave  which  Christ  had  lighted  up  with  His  o^wn 
glorious  presence,  and  he  went  home  to  be  forever 
with  Christ. 

This  sweet  little  poem  by  Willoughby  Eeade  is 
gladly  given  a  place  here: 

FALLEN  AT  HIS  POST. 


'^  God's  finger  touched  him  and  he  slept." 
If  honor  in  humility  cloth  lie, 
And  praise  for  faithfulness  deserved  be, 
If  toil  and  zeal  unwearied  merit  have, 
And  ceaseless  labor  for  the  Master's  cause 
Ensure  His  "  well  done,  faithful  servant  mine  "— 
Then  honor,  praise  and  reverent  love  we'll  lay 
Upon  his  bier  who  fell  on  yesterday. 
Known  through  breadth  and  length  of  our  whole  State. 
By  mountain  tarn  or  ocean's  weedy  marge, 
Or  where  the  rivers  run  to  seas  of  light, 
19 


290  LIFE   AXD   LABORS    OF 

In  hamlet,  city,  village,  far  or  near. 

This  man  of  purpose  higli,  and  soul  sincere. 

Life's  master— thought  for  him,  '-God  and  his  cause  !" 

Unknown  wliere  fashion  tricks  the  ways  of  men, 

Scorned  and  derided  by  a  shallow  world, 

And  yet  a  hero,  grander  in  his  toil 

Tlian  he  who  conquers  worlds  and  dies  unwept ! 

Misfortune  misses  thee  and  friendless  poor 

Shall  watch  in  vain  the  coming  of  thy  steps. 

Thy  name  shall  pass— the  workman  buried  is, 

The  work  goes  on  unto  its  glorious  goal. 

Oh,  wearied  feet  that  never  rested  much. 

Rest  by  the  jasper  sea  ;  'bide  gentle  soul, 

Within  the  sunshine  of  perpetual  peace. 

With  reverent  hand  we  lay  our  praises  down, 

And  give  to  Him.  the  Man  Divine,  all  praise, 

Who  moulded  such  a  faithful  soul  from  dust. 

Though  floral  tributes  did  not  mock  thy  bier. 

The  flower  of  a  white  life  shines  o'er  thy  tomb. 

And  shall — while  the  magnolia  sweet  shall  weep 

Her  petals  pure,  in  fragrant  tears  of  love. 

Lay  down  the  tired  pilgrim — face  and  eyes 

So  they  can  catch  the  "  golden  raying  crown  " 

Of  Christ's  sunrise.     Hush  I  let  all  weeping  cease, 

He  rests  in  God— call  not  his  grave  a  grave, 

'Tis  but  a  sleeping  place,  "  the  chamber  Peace." 

Good-night,  wise,  quaint  and  honest  soul — Good-Night. 

WiLLOUGHBY   ReADE. 

W^ilmington,  Dec.  14,  1882. 


UNION    OF   THE    CONVENTIONS. 

For  quite  ii  iiuiiiber  of  years  the  question  of  unit- 
infj;  the  Eastern  and  Western  Conventions  had  been 
agitated.  Ashe  and  Alleghany,  Watauga  and  Yancey 
had  gone,  and  the  French  Broad  Association,  Bun- 
comlx'  and  llenders<t]i   had   decided  to  go,   and  the 


ELDER  F.  AI.   JORDAN.  291 

Convention  was  growing  weaker  and  weaker,  and  less 
efficient. 

At  length  there  was  more  or  less  unrest  all  over  the 
Convention.  Many  were  in  favor  of  dissolving,  and 
others  were  lotli  to  give  it  up.  At  the  meeting  of 
the  Convention  in  Waynesville,  in  1897,  a  resolution 
was  offered,requesting  the  Associations  to  consider  the 
matter,  and  take  a  vote  in  1898,  as  to  whether  it  would 
be  best  to  go,  or  remain  as  we  had  bejon.  Of  the  nine 
Associations,  four  voted  to  go,  and  four  to  remain — 
one  neutral. 

Up  to  this  time  I  had  been  in  favor  of  not  dissolv- 
ing, and  keeping  up  our  annual  meetings  of  the  Con- 
vention. But  when  our  Association,  the  Transyl- 
vania, met  at  Catheys  Creek  in  October,  1898,  Bro. 
C.  S.  Cashwell  was  then  the  Corresponding  Secretary 
of  the  Convention,  who  had  visited  all  the  Associa- 
tions, save  one,  and  consequently  was  prepared  to 
give  a  very  correct  statement  as  to  how  the  matter 
stood  in  the  bounds  of  the  Convention.  Somehow  or 
other  I  began  to  feel  that  a  union  of  the  Conventions 
would  best  serve  the  interest  of  the  Master.  Brother 
Cashwell  and  I  spent  the  night  together  at  the  hos- 
pitable home  of  Bro.  L.  W.  Brooks.  We  talked  the 
matter  over,  and  I  talked  Brother  Cashwell  to  sleep. 
He  said  he  believed  that  the  union  of  the  Conventions 
at  the  approaching  session  depended  upon  the  action 
of  the  Transylvania  Association.  I  could  not  sleep. 
So  I  decided  to  divest  mvself  of  all  selfishness  in  the 


L>:*L'  LIFE   AXD   LABORS    OF 

inattor,  and  go  liack  to  my  old  text,  Prov.  3 :  5-6, 
•*Tnist  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart,  and  lean  not 
To  thine  own  nnderstandina'.  Tn  all  thy  w^ays 
acknowlcd.ii-e  Ilini,  and  He  shall  direct  thy  paths." 
M\  heail  "tcw  more  and  more  tender,  as  I  wept  and 
prayed  for  the  dirwtion-of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
next  (hiy  Brother  Cashwell  made  a  plain  statement 
<»f  the  fact.s,  as  he  saw  them,  why  it  would  be  best 
for  the  Conventions  to  unite,  after  which  I  made  a 
sp(>eeli,  wliieh,  in  connection  with  Brother  Cash- 
well's,  1  believe,  caused  the  ^Association  to  vote  in 
favor  of  the  union  of  the  Conventions.  AAHien  the 
Convention  met  in  Hendersonville,  October  19,  1898, 
I  was  thoroniihly  convinced,  and  was  fully  prepared 
to  vote  with  all  my  heart  and  soul  for  the  union. 

Thnrsday.  the  20th  day  of  Octol)er,  was  a  memora- 
lle  «hiy.  I'ho  whole  day -was  taken  up  in  discussing 
the  merits  of  the  .question  as  to  whether  it  would  be 
Ircst  for  th(^  Western  to  dissolve  and  unite,  with  the 
State  ( 'om'ontioM.  1  made  the  opening  speech  in 
favor  of  the  union,  and  never  felt  more  conscious  of 
being  gnided  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  discussion  was 
warm,  l>ut  in  the  main  in  a  good  spirit.  The  ques- 
tion was  decided  in  favor  of  the  union,  and  most  of 
the  brethren  seemtnl  to  l>e  happy  over  the  decision. 
Xo  one  regretted  more  than  I  to  give  up  our  yearly 
meetings  of  the  Western  Convention,  for  I  had  only 
iniss<^'d  one  session  ont  of  twenty-two,  of  the  vears 
iliat  I  had  !iv<Ml  within  licr  Wunds.      I  firmly  believe 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  293 

it  will  1)0  ill  a  large  measure  to  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  strengthening  and  building  up  of  Christ's  king- 
dom ill  the  whole  State. 


MEETING     AT      JERSEY     CHURCH^     DAA'IDSON      COUNTY. 

Ill  the  year  1874  Bro.  .1.  B.  Bichardson  invited 
me  to  aid  him  in  a  meeting  at  old  Jersey  Church, 
Davidson  County.  I  was  then  living  near  Hillsboro, 
Orange  (V)unty.  My  two  younger  daughters,  Jen- 
nie and  Fannie,  were  to  be  baptized  at  Mars  Hill  on 
Sunday.  I  was  anxious  to  see  my  daughters  bap- 
tized, and  was  at  a  loss  Avhether  I  should  go  or  stay. 
I  went  to  my  old  text,  Prov.  3 :  5-6,  and  decided  that 
it  was  my  duty  to  go.  Saturday  night  I  took  the 
cars  at  Hillsboro,  and  Sunday  morning  I  was  at  old 
Jersey  Church.  The  congregation  had  assembled 
Avhen  I  arrived.  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  felt  or 
witnessed  more  of  the  presence  and  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  both  in  the  heart  of  saint  and  sinner.  I 
preached  a  short  sermon  and  many  came  forward  for 
]:ri.  ver.  Strong  men  and  women  shoiited  and  praised 
the  Lord,  and  sinners  cried  for  mcTcy.  Some  tremb- 
ling mourners  were  rejoicing  because  of  pardoned  sin, 
and  telling  it  all  around  what  a  dear  Saviour  they 
had  found.  The  meeting  continued  nine  days.  We 
held  a  prayer-meeting  every  morning  at  10  a.  m., 
and  by  9  o'clock  the  hill  was  lined  with  people,  and 
inquiring  souls  were  finding  the  Saviour  precious  to 


294  LIFE   AND   LABORS    OF 

tlioir  sw>iils,  at  tlieir  homes,  along  the  road-side,  in 
thrir  fiehls,  and  just  an\^vhere,  and  would  come-  out 
voluntarily  and  tell  what  the  Holy  Spirit  had  wrought 
in  their  hearts,  hecause  they  could  not  suppress  their 
f(M?lings. 

The  whole  oomniunity  was  moved  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  It  was  difficult  to  preach,  indeed  it 
(lid  not  seem  to  require  much  preaching;  just  pray 
and  sing  and  rejoice.  Simday,  the  last  day  of  the 
meeting,  was  a  memorable  day  in  the  history  of  the 
old  Jersey  Church. 

A  large  number  had  been  received,  and  were  to  be 
baptized.  There  was  a  nice  stream  running  near  the 
chiu'ch,  through  a  body  of  large  timber;  a  beautiful 
place  for  baptism.  The  brethren  prepared  two  large 
tents  near  each  other.  The  males  prepared  for  bap- 
tism in  one,  and  the  females  in  the  other.  Brother 
liichardson  and  I  were  both  to  baptize.  We  marched 
out  of  onr  tent  in  double  file,  by  the  door  of  the  sis- 
ters, wIk'u  they  fell  in,  in  like  manner.  We  marched 
doA\Ti  to  the  creek  below  where  we  were  to  baptize, 
and  then  marched  up  the  creek  to  the  place 
a]'>}>ointod.  Brother  Richardson  and  I  took  our 
plac<?s  in  the  middle  of  the  creek.  The  deacons  went 
in  with  ns  to  convey  the  candidates  to  us,  and  then  to 
ihc  shore.  And  then  alternately  we  began  baptiz- 
ing the  candidates;  and  as  we  would  baptize,  the 
columns  would  move  up.  The  number  baptized  was 
sixty-seven,  composing  fathers  and  mothers,  brothers 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN.  295 

and  sisters  of  various  sizes  and  ages,  one  whole  house- 
hold among  the  number,  if  not  more.  It  was  a  won- 
derful scene  to  behold.  People  were  there  from 
Salisbury  and  Lexington,  and  the  whole  surrounding 
country.  There  must  have  been  between  one  and 
two  thousand  people  present  to  witness  the  solemn 
scene.  T  would  look  up  occasionally  upon  the  vast 
assembly,  and  almost  everybody  seemed  to  be  bathed 
in  tears  of  love  and  gratitude  to  God  for  the  wonder- 
ful displays  of  His  grace  and  goodness. 

After  the  baptism,  all  assembled  at  the  old  Jersey 
meeting-house,  and  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  was 
given  to  those  baptized;  three  columns  across  the 
house,  amid  songs  and  shouts  of  praise  to  God  for  the 
wonderful  displays  of  His  saving  grace  and  redeem- 
ing love.  Many  of  those  who  then  tasted  the  sweet- 
ness of  the  stream  in  the  wilderness  are  now  drinking 
from  the  fountain-head  in  the  glory  world. 

One  incident  in  connection  with  this  meeting  is 
worthy  of  special  mention.  A  lovely  daughter  made 
a  bright  profession  of  religion,  and  was  exceedingly 
anxious  to  be  baptized.  Her  old  aunt,  or  grand- 
mother, I  forget  which,  was  desperately  opposed  to  it, 
and  said  she  hoped  whoever  baptized  her  would 
drown  her.  She  happened  to  be  on  my  side  of  the 
baptismal  scene,  I  baptized  her  nicely,  handed  her 
to  the  deacon,  and  said,  "Here  she  is,  and  she  is  not 
drowmed,  either." 

Bro.  J.  B.  Richardson's  father,  ^N'oah  Richardson, 


296  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

was  our  pastor  in  the  days  of  my  youth,  and  though 
ho  never  went  to  school  but  ten  months  in  his  life, 
he  was  tlie  finest  pulpit  orator,  and  one  of  the  best 
preachers  to  whom  I  ever  listened.  He  w^as  a  tall, 
noble,  fine-looking  man,  and  made  a  fine  appearance. 
'Jliere  was  heaven  in  his  voice.  His  son,  J.  B.,  is 
very  mueh  like  his  father,  and  I  regard  him  as  one 
of  the  \-ery  l)est  preachers  in  Xorth  Carolina.  Xoah 
Kichardson,  Eli  Phillips,  James  McDaniel,  John 
]\I(>nrr>e,  Patrick  Dowd,  AVilliam  Lineberry,  young 
John  Culix'ppcr  and  P.  C.  Conly,  were  cotempo- 
raries  in  their  day.  And  what  a  host  they  Avere. 
Eternity  alune  will  disclose  the  good  that  the^  men 
of  God  accomplished  in  this  world. 


LETTER    FROM    A.    T.    ROBERTSOX. 

LorisviLLE^  Ky.^  Jan.  25,  1898. 

Pkv.  F.  :\I.  Jordan,  East  Fork,  X.  C. 

My  Dear  Brother: — In  reply  to  your  request  for 
an  account  of  my  conversion  and  of  the  meeting  that 
you  held  in  Statesvillo  in  1870,  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
know  how  much  you  wdsh  written,  besides  being 
greatly  publied  foi*  time.  I  remember  the  meeting 
VM-y  well,  and  shiiU  1o  the  end  of  my  life.  It  was  a 
great  epnch  in  uiy  early  life.  I  had  been  a  regular 
atteiKhuit  ;tt  tlu^  Sunday-school  in  the  court-hous^  in 
8tates\  ille,  'he  I>aptists  having  no  house  at  that  time 
in  tin-  i</\vii.      I   had  been  under  religious  influences 


ELDER  F.   M.   J  ORDAIN.  297 

all  my  liiV.  I  ,Tis  a  little  over  twelve  years  old  at 
the  time  of  the  meeting.  I  had  had  conviction  <  t  sin 
at  various  times  before  that,  bnt  during  that  meet- 
ing the  Spirit  of  God  took  hold  of  me  and  I  could 
not  shake  off  the  conviction  that  I  ought  to  give  my 
heart  to  my  Savior.  The  meetings  held  in  States- 
ville  at  that  time  made  a,  great  impression  on  my 
mind.  ^lany  of  your  sermons  made  a  great  impress 
upon  the  whole  town.  Baptists  had  no  standing  or 
foothold  in  the  town  before  that  meeting,  but  the 
Pedobaptists  — Statesville  being  a  Presbyterian 
stronghold — came  in  great  numbers  to  the  meeting. 
Many  seemed  surprised  that  a  Baptist  minister  could 
command  such  influence  in  the  community,  and  many 
of  the  Pedobaptists  were  still  more  surprised  that 
any  of  the  converts  of  the  meeting  joined  the  strug- 
gling Baptist  organization.  But  that  meeting  gave 
a  standing  and  a  place  for  Baptists  in  Statesville. 
Some  men  of  position  and  influence  in  the  coromun- 
ity  joined  them.  After  that  it  was  no  longer  a  nov- 
elty to  see  persons  baptized  in  Statesville.  One  who 
has  not  labored  in  a  Piedmont  section  can  have  little 
idea  of  the  difficulties  Baptists  had  to  contend  vnth. 
in  these  Scotch-Irish  communities.  They  have  had 
to  overcome  prejudice  of  long  standing  and  almost 
social  ostracism.  This  meeting  held  by  you,  under 
God,  gave  hope  and  faith  and  courage  to  the  States- 
ville Baptists.  I  shall  always  be  grateful  to  God  for 
the  personal  interest  that  you  took  in  me,   though 


2yj>  LIFE  ANB  LABORS   OF 

but  a  little  boy  at  the  time.  Rev.  J.  B.  Boone,  tlie 
sturdy  and  beloved  pastor,  had  so^^m  good  seed,  and 
you  were  able  to  reap  the  harvest.  Brother  Boone 
was  a  tower  of  strength  with  his  little  flock  at  that 
time.  T  wish  to  mention  my  sense  of  gratitude  for 
his  tender  personal  kindness  to  me  in  my  early  life. 
There  are  happy  and  holy  memories  connected  with 
that  meeting  long  ago  that  have  followed  me  all  my 
life.  God's  blessings  on  you  in  your  labor  of  love. 
Yours  f  rater  nail  V, 

A.  T.  Robertson. 

LETTER  FROM  W.   J.  SHOLAR. 

Bayonne^  N.  J.,  June  5,  1899. 

My  Dear  Spiritual  Father: — You  will  pardon 
my  long  delay  in  replying  to  your  letter,  of  a  month 
ago. 

I  have  been  very,  very  busy,  and  this  is  the  first 
real  opportunity  that  I  have  had  to  write  to  you.  I 
met  your  son  in  Isew  York  when  he  was  on  a  visit 
there  and  had  a  pleasant  visit  with  him. 

I  was  delighted  to  receive  your  letter  and  to  learn 
that  you  are  still  vigorously  preaching  the  good  news 
of  salvation  to  men. 

Yes,  T  was  converted  imder  your  ministry  or 
preaching  in  the  revival  you  held  in  Charlotte  in 
1876  or  1877 — which  was  it?  And  was  baptized 
along  with  a  number  of  others  by  Dr.  Whitfield. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN. 


299 


I  was  a  lad,  but  remember  to  have  been  deeply 
interested  in  the  meetings  and  yonr  sermons,  and 
althoiigli  no  one  spoke  to  me,  I  went  up  to  the  front 
seat  one  night  when  father  and  mother  remained  at 
home.  I  do  not  recall  my  thoughts  at  that  time.  I 
remember  weeping  and  a  young  lady  came  and  knelt 
bv  me  and  talked  to  me.  I  remember,  too,  to  have 
had  a  sw:eet  peace  come  over  me  when  I  stood  and 
acknowdedged  Jesus  as  my  Saviour. 

I  have  never  had  the  least  doubt  from  that  day  to 
this  that  I  was  saved  that  night,  and  I  feel  sure 
that  if  I  had  not  given  myself  to  God  then,  I  might 
never  have  done  so.  From  then  on  I  was  always 
deeply  interested  in  the  church  and  Sunday-school, 
and  have  held  all  the  offices  in  the  latter  at  various 
times.  I  can  testify  that  my  membership  in  the 
church  has  been  a  safeguard  to  me  many  times.  I 
must  say,  however,  that  my  disposition  to  attend 
church  and  Sunday-school  was  due  to  the  example  of 
i[  txorVly  father,  now  in  heaven,  I  do  not  remember 
Avhen  T  began  to  go  to  church  and  Sunday-school.  I 
have  been  going  since  I  remember  anything  at  all. 
My  lather  always  said  ^'Come,  boys ;  its  time  for  us 
to  go  to  Sunday-school,"  and  he  led  the  way.  It  was 
never  a  hardship  for  brother  and  myseli  to  go.  We 
expected  to  go  to  Sunday-school  at  9  a.  m.,  every 
Sunday  just  as  much  as  we  expected  breakfast.  After 
Sunday-school  we  remained  to  church — father, 
mother  and  wc  two  boys — all  sitting  together.      And 


i3Ui>  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

we  never  li'ot  out  of  tlie  habit  thus  inwroiifflit  with 
our  l»eiiit>.  Oh,  tliat  Christian  fathers  now  would 
lead  llieir  boys  to  church.  I  haven't  a  man  in  my 
clinrch  here  who  brings  his  boy  either  to  Sunday- 
school  or  clnii'eli. 

It  was  predicted  in  my  yontli  tliat  I  would  be  a 
preaclicr,  ])roba])ly  l)ecause  I  was  always  interested 
in  clmreh  matters  and  never  missed  ;i  meeting  on 
•SiiiKhiy  or  during  the  wee-k  Onr  fani'jv  moved  to 
fvaieigh,  X.  ('.,  in  1880,  and  we  united  with  the 
First  Baptist  diurcli.  I  was  placed  in  a  Sundav- 
school  class  taught  by  ^[iss  Fannie  E.  Heck,  of  whose 
good  Avorks  you  have  doubtless  heard.  She  exercised 
a  wonderful  iniluence  for  good  over  all  the  young 
men  in  tliat  class,  and  it  is  largely  due  to  her  sweet 
inilnence  and  kindly  sympathy  that  I  determined 
to  give  my  life  to  preaching  the  gospel.  After  I 
entered  college  she  corresponded  with  me  until  after 
I  came  isTorth, .  and  her  gracious  spirit  and  rare 
Chi-istian  devotion  have  been  incalculably  great  in 
influencing  my  life. 

The  first  urgings  to  preach  came  from  friends,  who 
tr>ld  me  that  I  ought  to  go  to  college  and  prepare  for 
the  ministry.  I  rejected  the  advice  and  w^ent  into 
business.  But  in  1884  I  finally  decided  to  obey 
God'fi  call,  and  after  conversations  with  Dr.  Skinner, 
my  pastor,  and  Dr.  C.  E.  Taylor,  I  entered  Wake 
Forest,  in  September. 

I  preaehed  my  first    sermon    in    what    was    then 


ELDER  F.   M.    JORDAN.  301 

known  as  the  Fayetteville  Street  Sunday-school, 
which  I  had  helped  organize.  That  was  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1886. 

In  1887  I  came  ]^orth  and  entered  Colgate  Uni- 
versity, and  Avas  gTaduated  in  1889.  I  then  took 
a  three  years'  course  in  tlie  Theological  Seminary  at 
Hamilton,   X.   Y.,  graduating  in   1892. 

During  the  Christmas,  spring,  and  summer  vaca- 
tions of  my  two  years  in  Colgate,  three  of  us  spent 
the  time  in  evangelistic  work.  We  were  all  over 
Xew  Y(U-k  State.  God  very  richly  blessed  our 
labors,  giving  us  hundreds  of  conversions.  Even  in 
hottest  August  weather,  in  haying  time,  we  had 
crowded  churches  in  the  villages  w^here  we  preached. 
It  gave  me  valuable  and  rich  experiences.  All  dur- 
ing my  seminary  course  I  preached  regularly  nearly 
every  Sunday  and  during  vacations. 

In  the  summer  of  1891  I  supplied  tlie  large  First 
Ba]:)tist  Church  of  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  while  Dr. 
Willingham,  then  the  pastor,  went  to  Europe.  I  was 
ordained  there.  After  his  return  I  supplied  the  old 
First  Church  of  Greenville,  S.  C,  for  two  months, 
Avhile  Dr.  ]\runday  was  in  ill  health. 

Before  graduating  in  June,  1892,  I  had  been  called 
to  the  Xoble  Street  Church,  Brooklyn,  :N'.  Y.  I 
remained  there  two  years  and  eight  months,  having 
had  a  happy  season,  baptizing  one  hundred  souls.  I 
accepted  a  hearty  call  to  become  assistant  pastor  to 
Dr.   John     Ilumpstone    in    the    Emanuel     Church, 


302  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

Brooklyn,  X.  Y.,  but  remained  only  two  years  and 
two  months.  I  had  few  opportunities  to  preach,  and 
1  felt  tlie  deprivation  of  that  keenly,  so  in  July,  1897, 
J  accepted  a  hearty  call  to  the  Bergen  Point  Church, 
Bayonne,  where  I  have  one  of  the  most  discouraging 
fields  near  Kew  York. 

There,  my  brother,  is  an  epitome  of  my  life  since 
God  spoke  peace  to  my  soul  through  your  ministry 
twenty  years  ago  and  more.  IIow  wonderfully  God 
lias  dealt  with  me !  When  I  landed  at  Wake  Forest 
ill  September,  1884,  I  had  just  fifteen  dollars,  uith 
no  certaintv  of  cettins'  anv  more.  The  Education 
Society  paid  my  board  only.  I  borrovred  money  at 
various  times  as  I  needed  it,  and  after  I  caiiiB  JSTorth 
I  earned  more  than  enough  to  pay  my  expenses  i\v 
preaching.  I  have  paid  back  all  tlio  borrowed 
money,  purchased  books-  to  tlie  value  of  $1,400,  fur- 
nished a  home  for  $2,000,  over  which  my  lovely  wife 
presides  with.  Xew  York  thrift  (for  I  won  her  up 
here),  and  in.  which  our  two  precious  children,  a  boy 
and  girl,  make  life  a  joy. 

God  has  alwavs  blessed  mv  labors  in  tlie  savins  of 
souls.  I  have  an  evangelistic  spirit  and  have  never 
had  anyone  to  aid  me  in  special  meetings.  One  of 
my  '^spiritual  children" — a  young  man  converted 
under  my  preaching  in  Brooklyn,  and  baptized  by 
me,  is  now  himself  a  preacher  in  New  York  State. 
But  the  work  u])  here  is  hard  and  discouraging.  The 
people  love  pleasure  on  Sunday  and  it  is  a  day  of 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  803 

recreation  to  thousands.  With  the  coming  of  warm 
weather  the  churches  are  empty,  many  of  them  clos- 
ing entirely  for  t\\'o  and  three  months.  Indifference 
is  stamped  on  every  other  household  in  town. 

Even  the  church  members  are  indifferent,  utterly 
so,  to  the  perishing  men  and  women  about  them.  The 
world  is  in  the  churches.  Half  the  church  members 
in  this  city  were  never  converted,  if  barrenness  of 
fruit  is  the  criterion. 

But  I  have  written  enough.  I  have  talked  freely  to 
you,  as  to  my  father. 

God  is  good.  I  love  Him  and  He  loves  me.  I'd 
rather  preach  than  do  anything  else.  I  have  been 
very  unworthy  many  times,  but  God  has  always  been 
good  to  me.  I  should  be  glad  to  see  you  again  before 
you  depart  to  be  forever  with  the  Lord.  But  it  may 
never  be.  Of  this  one  thing,  however,  I  am  certain, 
and  that  is,  that  we  shall  meet  at  the  marriage  supper 
of  the  Lamb,  and  whatever  I  may  have  done  or  shall 
yet  do  for  Jesus  will  be  but  added  luster  to  your 
crown  of  rejoicing. 

May  God  richly  bless  you,  my  brother,  and  give 
you  many  years  yet  and  full  strengi;h  to  proclaim 
His  precious  gospel.  My  heart  turns  longingly  to 
the  Old  ^orth  State  once  in  a  while,  and  I  hope  to 
visit  her  again  in  a  year  or  two. 

Yes,  I  shall  take  a  copy  of  your  book.  With 
Christian  love, 

I  am  cordially  yours,  Wm.  J.  Sholar. 


304  LIFE  AND  LABOES  OF 

LETTER  FR0:M  J.  B.  RICHARDSON. 

High  Point,  [N".  C,  December  22,  1898. 

Dkai;  HitoTHER  F.  M.  Jordan: — I  well  remem- 
Iht  and  shall  never  foi-o-et  our  labors  together  in  pro- 
tracted meetings.  In  1874  I  labored  with  you  as 
pastor  in  Dnrhani,  X.  C.  The  clmrch  there  was 
mooting  the  question  of  disbanding  and  going  to  the 
country,  where  most  of  the  members  lived.  Only 
some  half  a  dozen  lived  in  town,  led  by  dear  old  Bro. 
Wesley  Cheek.  These,  with  \o\\  as  their  pastor,  said, 
"Tt  will  never  do  to  retreat  from  the  tovm..  The 
Master  says,  'Occupy  till  I  come.'  "  You  and 
Brother  Cheek  met  me  at  the  de])ot  on  Saturday 
night  at  10  o'clock.  It  was  a  dark  and  dreary  night. 
Conducting  me  to  the  home  of  Brother  Che^k,  we 
were  soon  in  a  ])rivate  room,  where  you  and  Brother 
Cheek  told,  v»'ith  saddened  looks,  of  the  church's  sit- 
uation. Then  on  our  knees  we  laid  the  case  before 
our  Great  Head,  imploring"  His  guidance.  Xext 
morning  was  radiant  with  the  smiles  of  a  beneficent 
Providence.     Wc  thanked  God  and  received  courage. 

By  1 1  a.  UL,  the  church  was  nearly  full  of  a  wait- 
ing congregation.  A  sermon  was  preached  and  you 
gave  an  invitation  to  inquirers  after  salvation. 
Some  dozen  oi-  more  came  foi^ward  for  prayer  and 
instruction.  At  night,  the  weather  being  most  fav- 
orable, the  house  was  filled  to  packing  the  aisles.  At 
the  close  of  the  sermon,  some  forty  or  fifty  rose  for 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  305 

prayer.  Services  were  annoiinoed  for  next  day.  On 
Monday  the  congTogation  was  about  the  same  as  on 
Sabbath,  with  interest  increasing.  At  night  services 
the  honse  was  again  packed,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
most  graciously  working  among  us.  You  and 
Brother  Oheek  had  not  as  yet  announced  your  pur- 
pose of  a  protracted  meeting  at  that  time.  You  and 
I  had  arranged  to  start  to  Flat  Eiver  Association 
on  the  next  day,  provided  the  Lord  did  not  indicate 
our  further  stay  in  Durham.  But  His  fin^er-point- 
iug  was  clear  that  night,  and  you  announced  that  the 
meeting  would  go  on  as  long  as  the  Lord  showered 
LTis  blessings  upon  us. 

On  Tuesday  the  meeting  was  still  increasing.  At 
night  we  had  a  powerful  meeting.  On  Wednesday 
you  ^vere  requeisted  to  announce  before  the  people  that 
a  fashionable  wedding  would  take  place  at  8  p.  m.^ 

that  day  in  Church,  which  stood  but  a  short 

distance  from  us,  and  that  all  our  congregation  were 
invited  to  attend;  and  further,  that  at  the  close  of 
the  marriage  service  a  protracted  meeting  would  com- 
mence, led  ])y  the  Rev.  Dr. ,  President  of 

University!  ^There/'  said  some,  ^^oiir  meeting 
will  have  to  stop" !  ^^No,"  said  the  faitliful,  "the 
Master  is  at  the  helm ;  He  will  pilot  us."  At  night 
the  people  largely  went  to  the  marriage,  you  and  I 
holding  prayer-meeting  at  our  house  till  marriage 
service  ended,  and  then  the  great  crowd  swung  back, 

20 


306  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

leaving  the  Doctor  only  a  couple  of  dozen  to  com- 
mence his  meeting.  The  Doctor  continued  his  meet- 
ing till  Friday  night  and  then  closed.  Your's  went 
on  increasing  in  interest  and  numbers.  I  stayed 
with  you  for  three  weeks ;  we  labored  day  and  night. 
( Apropos,  you  remember  Brother  Cheek  wore  hi< 
everyday,  threadbare  suit  for  the  first  week,  and 
then  put  on  his  new  suit. )  At  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing you  baptized  forty-five.  This  meeting  was  the 
''turn  of  the  tide,"  and  from  then  till  now  the  banner 
of  Truth  has  waved  over  Durham. 

WINSTON. 

You  remember  our  battle  at  Winston.  You  were 
laboring  there  as  missionary  for  one-fourth  of  your 
time.  Only  about  scA^en  Baptists — all  you  could 
find  in  the  Twin  City,  and  they  without  any  organi- 
zation, house  or  lot.  You  purposed  a  protracted 
meeting  in  the  court-house.  But  owing  to  some  oppo- 
sition from  a  Baptist  source  you  failed  to  get  any 
ministerial  aid,  till  you  sent  for  me.  For  near  two 
weeks  we,  alternating,  preached  in  the  old  court- 
house, crowded  every  night  to  its  full  capacity.  A 
most  gracious  meeting,  resulting  in  tlie  organization 
of  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Thus  the  starting  of 
the  Baptist  cause  in  Winston.  I  have  forgotten  the 
vear. 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  307 

JERSEY  CHURCH. 

But  the  most  gracious  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
was  in  a  meeting  at  Jersey  Church,  in  1874  or  '75. 
1  was  pastor.  Meeting  commenced  on  Saturday 
Avith  four  or  five  inquirers  upon  the  first  service. 
You  readied  me  on  tlie  Sabbath.  On  inquiry  I  told 
you  that  I  knew  of  only  about  twenty  unconverted 
people  attending  our  regular  services.  You  preached, 
and  fully  that  number  cried  for  mercy.  We  held  no 
night  services.  Xext  day  the  people  came  in  crowds. 
You  rose  to  preach,  but  soon  had  to  stop ;  the  sinners 
all  over  the  house  were  cryiug  out  aloud  for  Chris- 
tians to  pray  for  them.  Old  and  young,  gray  headed 
and  beardless  cried  aloud  till  nearly  every  seat  in  the 
house  was  a  mourners'  bench.  Thus  it  continued - 
with  increased  power  from  day  to  day  without 
another  sermon  preached  for  ten  days.  Straw  was 
brought  in  and  put  all  over  the  floor  as  a  cai'pet. 
Strong  and  brave  old  Confederate  soldiers,  husbands 
and  wives  of  many  years,  farmers  worth  their  thou- 
sands, sons  and  daughters  of  strong  minds,  lay  at 
length  on  the  straw  carpet,  like  the  wounded  and 
dying  before  a  mighty  victorious  power.  There  they 
lay  for  hours  helpless  as  wounded  soldiers,  till  late 
in  the  evening,  when  wagons  and  carriages  were  pro- 
vided, in  which  they  were  helped  to  the  nearest  homes 
for  the  nia'ht.  Often  the  brethren  had  to  carrv  them 
in  arms  from  church  to  vehicle.  One  farmer,  OA\ai- 
ing  a  $25,000  plantation,  who,  while  on  his  knees  in 


80S  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

cluircli  received  a  mefisage  to  hasten  to  one  of  his 
farm  quarters,  where  his  hands  were  fighting,  replied 
aloud,  heard  all  over  the  house,  "Tell  the  overseer  I 
can't  come;  my  sonl's  salvation  is  worth  more  than 
all  my  fann." 

Xor  did  the  interest  ahate  at  night-fall,  for  the 
convicted  cried  and  ])i-ayed  aloud  in  some  instances 
all  iiiii'lit.  neither  eating  nor  slumbering,  even  at  late 
hours  of  night,  seeking  the  still  Avoods  where  they 
were  heard  groaning  like  wounded,  dying  soldiers. 
We  put  forth  efforts  to  quiet  them,  but  all  in  vain. 
Infidcds  and  sceptics  came  to  look  on  but  the  conta- 
gion on  the  first  day  :^wept  them  from  their  boasted 
pedestal  to  boAv  in  prOvStrate  form  for  mercy.  ^NTever 
liavc  T  witnt^ssed  sueli  a  meeting.  On  the  10th  day 
you  and  I  led  sixty-five  down  into  the  baptismal 
waters.  At  next  monthly  meeting  I  baptized  ten 
more,  making  seventy-five  in  all. 

Your  brother,  J.  B.  Kichardson. 


LKTTKi;     FIJOM     1'.     JI    JONES. 

Having  been  solicited  to  write  a  chapter  of  per- 
s(»nal  reminiscences  for  this  book,  I  do  so  reluctantly, 
first,  because  writing  is  not  my  forte,  and  second, 
i)"canse  ii  has  Ik'ou  a]>out  twc^nty  years  since  J  was 
)nTimat>edy  asso<'iat('d  with  the  brother  about  whom 
1  u  ritx',  and  many  things  that  occurred  while  we  were 


ELDER  F.   M.   JORDAN.  309 

together,  and  wliicli  init>'lit  be  of  interest  to  the  public, 
have  fadcHJ  from  my  memory. 

If  1  remember  correctly,  I  first  met  Rev.  F.  M. 
Jordan  at  tlie  North  Carolina  Baptist  State  Conven- 
tion, ill  (joldsbo>ro.  about  thirty-nine  years  ago. 
Tall,  stately  and  commanding  in  appearance,  my 
attention  was  directed  to  him.  So  T  inquired,  '^What 
tall  brother  is  that  standing  uear  the  church  door  V 
A  brothor  replied,  ''That  is  F.  ^t.  Jordan,  a  very 
earnest  Christian,  and  one  of  the  strongest  Baptists 
in  Xorth  Carolina.'' 

Xot  long  after  this,  I  met  him  at  the  Beulah  Asso- 
ciation in  Madison,  Rockingham  (/'ounty,  X.  C.  At 
this  meeting  he  made  a  stirring  speech  on  Temper- 
ance. One  brother,  while  speaking  on  this  subject, 
said,  "I  have  only  about  fifteen  gallons  of  whiskey 
made  every  fall  to  use  in  my  family  for  medicinal  pur- 
poses during  the  year.''  Brother  Jordan,  in  his 
reply  said,  ^'That  good  brother  who  has  just  closed  his 
speech  must  have  a  very  large  family  and  must  live 
in  a  very  sickly  place  to  need  fifteen  gallons  every 
year  for  medicinal  purposes."  The  brethren  were 
greatly  pleased  and  amused  at  Brother  Jordan's 
retort. 

The  Association  finished  its  business  Saturday. 

Dr.  Toby,  the  returned  missionary  from  China, 
preached  Sunday  morning  and  Brother  Jordan  Sun- 
da  v  night.  The  meeting  continued  for  ten  days, 
Bro.  J.  L.  Carroll  and  the  writer  aiding  the  pastor, 


310  LIFE  AND  LABOES   OF 

L.  11.  Shuck,  D.  I).  The  meeting  was  a  very 
preoious  one.  It  took  liold  of  the  whole  community. 
Twenty-five  were  baptized  durino-  tlie  meeting  and 
otliers  afterwards.  Some  who  were  made  very 
ha]>py  at  the  beginning  of  the  meeting  while  Brother 
Jordan  was  preaching  his  earnest,  tender  sermon, 
seemed  to  think  that  this  sermon  prepared  the  way 
for  the  precious  meeting  which  followed. 

Among  all  the  ministers  in  the  Beulah  Association, 
Brother  Jordan  was  perhaps  the  most  regular  in 
attending  the  Union  Meetings. 

lie  was  usually  there  at  the  begimiing  and 
remained  until  the  close,  manifesting  interest  in 
everything  that  came  before  the  body.  On  one  occa- 
sion I  went  fifty  miles  and  he  about  forty  miles  to 
get  to  the  place  of  meeting.  I  reached  the  church 
alx)ut  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  and  had  just  taken  my  horse 
from  my  l)uggy,  when  Brother  Jordan  drove  up,  and 
seeing  me,  said,  '"Oh,  my  brother !  You  thought  you 
would  catch  me  napping,  but  I'm  here ;  and  I'm  here 
on  time!"  He  did  not  enjoy  being  behind,  but 
desired  to  keep  up  in  all  things.  He  was  a  helpful 
hearer.  I  rarely  preached  in  his  presence  but  that 
his  constant  interest,  flowing  tears  and  responsive 
face  was  an  inspiration  to  me. 

lie  was  not  accustomed  to  consult  convenience  in 
tlio  service  of  Christ,  and  had  little  sympathy  with 
those  who  did.  On  one  occasion  two  churches  invited 
the  Union  [Meeting — one  was  very  central  and  easily 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  311 

reached,  and  one  brother  fa,vored  going  to  the  central 
chnrch  because  of  its  convenience.  Brother  Jordan 
favored  going  to  the  other  church,  because  it  was  a 
mission  church,  was  remote  and  would  put  us  to 
some  inconvenience  to  get  there.  He  said,  "I  like 
to  do  some  things  for  Christ  because  they  are  inconve^ 
nient."  He  frequently  got  after  the  brethren  of 
other  denominations  for  saying  they  preferred  sprink- 
ling to  immersion  because  it  was  more  convenient. 
He  claimed  that  Christ  commanded  immersion  and 
not  sprinkling,  and  that  the  command  must  be 
obeyed,  however  inconvenient.  I  followed  him  as 
pastor  at  Kerr's  Chapel  in  Caswell  County,  and  at 
Mars  Hill  in  Orange  County.  Several  of  the  most 
earnest  and  active  members  of  these  churches  pro- 
fessed conversion  and  joined  these  churches  under 
Brother  Jordan's  ministry.  At  one  time  he  was  my 
pastor,  and  was  frequently  at  my  house.  His  social 
spirit  and  a  kind  word  for  each  member  of  the  family 
made  him  at  all  times  a  welcome  visitor  to  our  home. 
He  baptized  my  oldest  daughter,  now  the  wife  of 
Kev.  C.  G.  Jones,  of  Covington,  Ky.  At  another 
time  I  v;as  his  pastor  and  was  frequently  at  his  pleas- 
ant country  home  near  Hillsboro,  ]^.  C.  He  was 
sometimes  at  home,  and  when  there  greeted  me  as  a 
brother  in  Christ.  At  other  times  he  was  away,  but 
his  thoughtful,  Christian  wife,  his  interesting  daugh- 
ters and  his  industrious,  promising  boys,  made  his 


;U2  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

home,  even  in  his  absence,  a  place  of  interest  and  of 
pleasure  to  me. 

1  baptised  three  of  his  children ;  among  them  Wil- 
lie, who  is  now  an  efficient  pastor  and  a  popular 
preacher  in  Colorado. 

I  married  his  oldest  and  accomplished  daughter, 
Julia,  to  brother  C.  E.  Lee,  of  Kaleigh,  N.  C. 

Brother  Jordan  not  only  did  good  wherever  he 
went  bv  his  earnest,  able,  impressive  sermons,  but 
aJso  bv  his  private  talks  to  the  unconverted.  A  good 
sister  told  me  to-day  that  F.  M.  Jordan  was  the  first 
minister  who  ever  spoke  to  her  privately  a.boiit  her 
soul's  salvation.  A  faithful  presentation  of  the 
AVord  of  God  from  the  pulpit  is  not  sufficient  to  make 
one  useful  and  efficient  as  a  minister,  but  we  must 
have  private  conversations  and  live  consistent  lives. 
It  is  needful  that  we  ^^Take  heed"  both  to  ourselves 
*^and  to  the  doctrine." 

Brother  Jordan  did  not  shun  to  declare  the  whole 
counsel  of  God  for  the  sake  of  popularity.  It  was 
his  custom  to  close  a  protracted  meeting  with  a  ser- 
mon on  baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  He  thus 
left  the  yoimg  converts  with  their  eyes  open  as  to 
what  he  believed  to  be  their  duty  as  believers  in 
Christ. 

Having  been  together  quite  frequently  in  pro- 
tracted meetings,  in  Associations,  in  Union  Meetings, 
in  State  Conventions,  and  in  each  other's  homes,  it  is 
not  sui*prising  that  an  intimacy  and  friendship,  like 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  31 3 

that  wliieli  existed  lietweeii  David  and  Jonathan, 
should  liave  gro^vn  iij:*  between  us.  Brother  Jordan 
is  several  years  my  senior,  but  we  have  both  made 
the  greater  part  of  our  record  as  laborers  in  the 
vineyard  of  Christ  on  earth,  and  may  we  not  hope 
that  the  pleasure  we  have  had  as  we  have  preached 
and  labored  together  for  Christ,  and  for  the  salva- 
tion of  souls  on  earth,  is  but  an  earnest  of  the  pleas- 
ure^ we  shall  realize  as  we  shall  enter  upon  the  rest 
remaining  to  the  people  of  God,  as  we  shall  sit  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus  and  praise  His  name  for  dying  love 
and  for  redeeming  grace,  and  for  allomng  us  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  perishing. 

F.  H.  Jones. 


LETTER    FRO]\t    J.    F.    LOVE. 


I  have  been  requested  to  write  for  this  volume  an 
account  of  a  revival  held  by  Brother  Jordan  in  Eliz- 
abeth City,  X.  C,  in  January,  1876.  I  was  selected 
for  this  because  I  was  an  interested  and  a  regTilar 
attendant  upon  the  services  and  was  converted  in  one 
of  them.  Through  affectionate  veneration  for  the 
subject  of  this  book  I  undertake  a  brief  narrative  of 
some  events  of  the  meeting.  Many  things  which 
would  be  most  interesting  to  the  readei'  have  been 
effaced  from  my  memoTy,  as  I  was  but  a  small  boy 
at  the  time. 

From  the  day  of  my  baptism  until  I  myself  had 


'3-14  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

be<^n  preaching  the  g'ospel  for  nearly  ten  years,  I 
did  not  see  Brother  Jordan,  and  then  for  a  few 
minutes  only.  Therefore,  he  still  has  in  memory's 
gallery,  the  "fonn  and  ])eauty"  of  twenty  years  ago 
"nnmarred  and  unmixed"  with  the  geoitler  and  more 
sombre  graces  which  the  experience  of  these  years 
may  haye  added.  T  shall  make  no  attempt  at  por- 
traitTire,  but  should  1  it  would  l>e  of  the  man  of 
ju'inie  and  power  as  he  appeared  to  the  eyes  of  one 
of  his  spiritual  children  twenty  years  a^o. 

The  Baptist  Thurch  in  Elizabeth  City  was  with- 
out a  pastor  when  he  arriyed  and  began  his  work. 
More  and  more  he  engaged  the  attention  of  the  town 
and  counti-y  for  miles  around.  The  preacher  and  the 
meeting  were  soon  topics  of  familiar  conversation  in 
every  circle.  Most  vividly  do  1  see  him  now  as  he 
stood,  tall,  erect,  frank,  and  fearless,  conscious  of  his 
mastery  of  the  great  audiences.  Xot  the  words  but 
the  "ring"  of  his  messages  is  fresh  in  memory.  Such 
pelting  blows  he  did  deal  to  flagTant  sinners!  How 
the  slendei-  props  were  knocked  away  and  the  self- 
righteous  were  brought  sprawling  in  the  dust  of 
humility!  With  what  relentlessness  was  the  flimsy 
vf  il  of  excuses  rent  in  twain  and  startled  souls  made 
to  cry  (tut  for  mercy!  Social  vices  received  such 
exposure  and  rebuke  that  ^^society"  folk  became  veno- 
mous in  their  rage.  It  was  rumored  that  a  brick-bat 
clul)  was  organized  and  a  surgeon  Avould  be  needed  to 
mend  the  sacred  interloper  when  they  had  finished 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  315 

with  him.  This  added  to  the  crowds  at  the  night 
service.  At  the  appointed  hour,  the  preacher 
ascended  the  pulpit  stair,  with  a  calm  dignity,  and 
after  taking  a  long,  silent  look  over  his  audience, 
stroking  the  meanwhile,  as  his  manner  \vas,  the  side 
of  his  nose  with,  his  left  forefinger,  he  sang,  without 
instrumental  prelude,  interlude,  postlude,  or  accom- 
paniment, his  favorite  solo,  '^There  is  a  gate  that 
stands  ajar,"  etc.  Then  followed  a  prayer  for  the 
presence,  help  and  power  of  God,  and  a  sermon  which 
evinced  it.  The  Rubicon  was  crossed  and  conquest 
followed  conquest  from  that  service. 

Among  the  memorable  features  of  that  meeting 
the  10  o'clock  prayer  and  experience  services  are 
prominent.  I  do  not  remember  to  have  witnessed 
since  such  seasons  of  subdued  spiritual  rapture. 

The  immediate  and  more  visible  results  of  the 
meeting  were  the  application  to  and  acceptance  by  the 
church  of  thirty-eight  persons  for  baptism.  How 
well  we  remember  the  fears  we  felt  lest  the  ckurch 
would  not  receive  us  and  we  be  permitted  to  imitate 
and  obey  our  Lord  in  baptism,  and  how  bright, 
though  chill,  seemed  that  January  Sabbath,  when, 
by  the  authority  of  the  church,  the  evangelist  led  us, 
willing  followers  of  our  SavioT,  into  Pasquotank 
River,  and  buried  us  with  Christ  in  baptism,  and 
raised  us  again  to  walk  in  ne\ATiess  of  life. 

]\Iore  Christian  workers  developed  from  among-  the 
converts  of  that  meeting  than  we  have  kno^vn.  from 


310  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

aiiv  other  revival.  A  lara-e  number  of  zealous  and 
consecrated  Snnd ay-school  teachers,  deacons,  choir- 
singers,  and  one  preacher  have  for  years,  by  their 
labors,  been  adding-  to  the  reward  of  the  man  who  won 
them  to  salvation.  The  subsequent  character  of  the 
converts  was,  we  believe,  but  a  complement  of  the 
quality  of  preaching  done  and  methods  employed  by 
the  evangelist,  and  those  ministers  who  had,  in  pre- 
ceding years,  indoctrinated  the  Baptists  of  that  com- 
munity, and  to  whom  we  would  like  also  to  pay  a 
tribute  were  this  a  fitting  place  for  it.  For  the  mak- 
ing of  a  vigorous  and  strong  Christian  there  is  noth- 
ing more  important  than  a  good  theological  pedigree. 
Spiritual  parents  in  whose  blood  is  the  healthful  tonic 
of  sound  doctrine  usually  beget  healthy  spiritual 
children.  The  doctrines  upon  which  the  preacher  in 
this  meeting  expended  without  apology  his  power 
of  illumination  were  human  depravity,  the  sover- 
eignty of  God,  a  vicarious  atonement,  unmerited 
grace,  salvation  by  faith,  and  an  endless  hell. 

It  may  be  remarked  here  that  these  are  the  doc- 
trines which  lie  as  a  foundation  to  the  Christianity 
of  this  nation.  The  men  who  built  tlie  churches  and 
founded  the  Christian  institutions  which  have 
shaped  American  civilization  believed  and  taught 
these  things.  These  are  tlie  solid  timbers  which 
were  used  by  those  who  before  us  planned  and 
wrought  for  this  rising  temple  of  evangelical  religion. 
Let  us  of  this  generation  take  heed  how  we  build 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN".  317 

thereupon.  If  any  are  tempted  to  substitute  for  the 
old  doctrine  of  depravity  the  new  one  of  sinless  per- 
fection, or  for  the  old-fashioned  hell  the  modern 
fallacy  of  universal  salvation,  we  would  entreat  them 
to  enquire  whether  upon  the  old  tlie  seal  of  God's 
blessing  has  rested,  and  would  commend  to  them  the 
words  of  one  of  the  old  builders:  '"According  to  the 
grace  of  God  which  is  given  unto  me,  as  a.  wise 
master-builder,!  have  laid  the  foundation, and  another 
buildeth  thereon.  But  let  every  man  take  heed  how 
he  buildeth  thereupon.  For  other  foundation  can 
no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ. 
Xow  if  any  man  build  upon  this  foundation,  gold, 
silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stubble;  every 
man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest :  for  the  day  shall 
declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire;  and 
the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is. 
If  any  man's  work  abide  which  he  hath  built  there- 
upon, he  shall  receive  a  reward.  If  any  man's  work 
shall  be  burned,  he  shall  suffer  loss."  (1  Cor. 
3:  10-15.) 

The  Monday  following  the  baptizing  Brother  Jor- 
dan left  the  town  and  has  not  since  returned.  ZSToth- 
ing  connected  with  the  preacher  or  the  meeting, 
except  my  own  conversion,  is  remembered  more 
clearly  than  a  sore  disappointment  which  the  wrriter 
suffered  on  that  morning  of  the  preacher^s  departure. 
Having  begged  a  50-cent  piece  of  my  mother,  I 
hastened  away  from  home  about  as  fast  as  my  feet 


318  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

could  carrv  me  to  Deacon  [Morgan's  in  search  of  the 
prea<?her,  intent  upon  coaxing  him  into  sitting  for 
a  daguerreotype  (the  onlv  kind  of  picture  made  in 
the  town  at  the  time).  But  upon  inquiry,  I  was  told 
that  he  had  gone.  I^ow,  after  twenty  years,  I  am  at 
last  to  have  my  picture,  and,  more  than  this,  a  his- 
tory of  his  useful  life  to  which  his  strong  and  kindly 
face  is  to  be  a  frontispiece. 

J.  F.  Love. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


1^  CONCLUSION. 

It  is  now  September,  1899.  Nearly  ten  years 
have  passed  away  since  I  closed  my  active  labors  as 
an  evangelist  and  took  up  my  residence  at  our  pres- 
ent home,  on  the  east  fork  of  tlie  French  Broad 
River,  in  Transylvania  County.  During  this  time 
four  bright,  healthful  children  have  been  born  to  us, 
Nannie,  Carey,  Susie,  and  Annie.  In  these  ten 
years  I  have  been  pastor  for  short  periods  of  one  or 
two  churches,  held  a  great  many  meetings,  witnessed 
scores  of  conversions,  baptized  a  large  number  of  peo- 
ple and  attended  nearly  all  the  meetings  of  our  Con- 
ventions, and  many  of  the  Associations. 

In  February  and  March  of  this  year,  I  assisted 
Rev.  J.  G.  Pulliam  in  meetings  at  Granite  Falls  and 
Len.oir.  Both  were  meetings  of  great  power.  For 
twenty-four  days  at  Granite  Falls  I  preached  almost 
daily.  Many  precious  souls,  among  them  Mr. 
Thomas  King,  the  postmaster,  were  happily  con- 
verted, ^lany  members  of  the  church  realized  that 
they  had  never  been  converted  and  sought  and 
obtained  the  pardon  of  their  sins.  Some  of  the  best 
members  of  other  churches  embraced  the  truth  as 
held  by  us  and  joined  the  Baptist  Church.  This 
went  hard  with  their  pastors.      The  night  after  our 


:^20  LIFE  AND   LABORS   OF 

meeting  closed  the  Methodist  pastor  preached  two 
hours  and  three  minutes  on  infant  sprinkling  and 
infant  church  membership.  I  never  listened  to  such 
a  perversion  of  God's  truth  in  all  my  life.  It  was 
iMore  like  a  funeral  dirge  than  anything  else.  It  only 
made  more  Baptists.  The  church  at  Granite  Falls  is 
?.  noble  band  of  consecrated  brethren  and  sisters,  firm 
and  true. 

Our  meeting  in  Lenoir  began  on  the  13t.h  of  March 
and  lasted  twenty  days.  Here  we  fought  the  world, 
the  flesh  and  the  devil.  I  have  been  in  many  places 
and  met  with  much  opposition,  but  was  never  in  a 
]ilace  Avhere  the  Baptists  are  so  persistently  opposed 
by  other  denominations  as  they  are  in  Lenoir.  It  is 
like  death  to  them  to  see  tbe  Baptists  live  and  prosper. 
But  the  little  church  there  is  true  to  the  Word,  and 
God  is  abundantly  blessing  them.  Kev.  J.  G.  Pul- 
liam  is  one  of  the  truest,  most  faithful  men  with  whom 
1  have  ever  labored.  He  is  a  constant  student  of  the 
Bible  and  his  sermons  bristle  all  through  with  "thus 
saith  the  Lord."  He  is  earnestly  contending  for  the 
faith  and  God  is  with  him  and  his  people,  keeping  and 
blessing  them  and  leading  them  on  triumphantly. 

The  school  which  he  is  now  establishing  in  Lenoir 
is  going  to  prove  a  blessing  to  that  whole  region  of 
country.  The  Baptist  Church  of  Lenoir,  under  his 
faithful  and  farseeing  leadership,  is  laying  tlie  foun- 
dation for  the  speedy  da'wn  of  a  bright  day  for  intelli- 
gence, righteousness  and  truth. 


E1.DER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  321 

It  is  now  the  15th  of  Sept.,  1899.  I  have  just 
reached  home  after  an  absence  of  two  months.  After 
attending  the  Chautauqua  in  Shelby,  meeting  many 
old  friends,  and  spending  some  delightful  days  with 
friends  there,  I  went  to  Boone,  in  Watauga  County, 
where  T  assisted  Bro.  E.  F.  Jones  in  a  glorious  meet- 
ing of  nearly  two  weeks  in  length.  From  Boone  we 
went  to  Three  Forks  Church,  only  two  or  three  miles 
away,  where  we  had  a,  good  meeting  of  about  the 
same  length.  From  here  we  went  to  Globe  and 
enjoyed  another  time  of  refreshing.  During  this  trip 
I  preached  an  average  of  once  a  day  for  forty-two 
days.  At  Boone  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Rev. 
E.  F.  Jones,  who  has  been  called  the  ^^Spurgeon  of 
Western  Xorth  Carolina."  He  is  a  man  of  great 
natural  ability,  eminent  pi^ty,  tender  as  a  child,  and 
a  fearless,  faithful  preacher. 

Brother  Sherwood,  who  is  pastor  of  Three  Forks 
and  Globe,  is  a  brother  whom  to  know  is  to  love.  His 
heart  and  life  have  been  softened  and  saddened  by 
severe  afflictions  which  have  come  to  him  and  his 
family,  but  he  has  a  peace,  calm  as  a  summer  lake, 
and  a  faith  firm  and  unshaken.  As  a  pastor  he  is 
sympathetic  and  kind,  but  faithful  and  true;  as  a 
preacher  he  is  emotional,  persuasive,  and  convincing, 
always  impressing  you  that  his  message  is  real  and 
comes  from  the  heart.  It  is  a  source  of  serene  satis- 
faction to  nie  to  know  that  perhaps  my  last  work  on 

21 


32*2  LIFE  AND  LABORS   OF 

earth  has  been  done  in  company  with  such  apprecia- 
tive and  sympathetic  brethren. 

But  my  work  on  earth  has  been  done;  how  imper- 
fectly I  know  full  well.  My  life  has  been  full  of  mis- 
takes, but  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  has  pardoned  my 
sins,  T  can  easily  see  how  I  might  have  done  a  great 
deal  better,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  how  I  might  have 
done  a  great  deal  worse.  God  has  done  more  for  me 
than  I  ever  have  half  deserved.  My  nine  children 
by  my  first  wife,  are  all  living,  married,  and  doing- 
well,  the  youngest  being  tliirty  years  of  age.  My 
oldest  daughter,  Julia  (Mrs.  Lee),  was  left  a  widow 
twelve  years  ago  mth  five  children.  She  lives  in 
Asheville  in  a  comfortable  home,  happy  in  the  confi- 
dence of  all  who  know  her,  and  in  the  love  of  her 
children,  not  one  of  whom,  she  says,  has  ever  spoken 
a  cross  word  to  her,  or  ever  refused  to  obey  her.  My 
oldest  son,  S.  II.,  is  a  lawyer,  and  lives  in  Conover. 
W.  T.  is  pastor  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church  of 
Denver,  Colorado.  J.  F.  is  a  tobacco  merchant  in 
Greensboro.  Jennie  (Mrs.  Brevard),  more  like  her 
mother  than  any  of  the  children,  lives  in  Shelby. 
J.  Y.  is  clerk  of  the  Criminal  Court  in  Asheville. 
Fannie  (^Irs.  Harrison),  lives  in  Asheville.  F.  M., 
Jr.,  is  a  Captain  of  Police  in  Asheville.  T.  II.  is  a 
fanner,  and  lives  in  Transylvania  County.  I  have 
twenty  grandchildren  living  and  several  in  heaven. 

T  am  now  in  my  seventieth  year.  Have  been  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church  fifty-nine  years.     For 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  323 

fifty  years  I  have  done  nothing  but  preach  salvation 
K'V  graoe  through  faith  in  the  merits  of  a  crucified, 
buried,  risen  and  ascended  Saviour.  Have  preached 
nearly  all  over  ^ortii  Carolina  aud  in  portions  of 
South  Carolina,  Virginia,  Tennessee  and  Georgia; 
liave  witnessed  the  conversion  of  more  than  seven 
rhcusand  people  and  baptized  with  my  own  hands 
more  than  four  thousand ;  have  baptized  in  every  river 
of  any  note  in  ^orth  Carolina  from  Virginia  to  Geor- 
gia, and  from  Tennessee  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  in 
creeks,  branches,  pools  and  baptistries  beyond  remem- 
brance. In  the  beginning  of  my  labors  as  an  evange- 
list T  preached  an  average  of  once  a  day  for  seven 
years,  besides  a  vast  amount  of  singing,  visiting,  and 
praying  with  individuals  and  families.  Having  given 
my  heart  to  Christ  early  in  life,  I  have  escaped  many 
of  the  snares  and  temptations  which  beset  the  pathway 
of  the  young,  and  have  had  a  whole  lifetime  in  which 
to  labor  for  Jesus.  I  never  drank  a  drop  of  whiskey, 
brandy,  beer,  gin  or  rum  in  my  life,  never  sv/ore  an 
oath,  never  went  to  a  theatre,  never  played  cai^ds, 
never  tried  to  dance,  never  wore  whiskers,  and  never 
went  to  a  circus  till  I  was  nearly  seventy  years  old. 
I  must  confess  that  I  really  enjoyed  the  circus,  and 
can't  blame  boys  for  wanting  to  go. 

I  have  realized  in  a  large  measure  that  "wisdom's 
ways  are  ways  of  righteousness  and  all  her  paths  are 
peace."  I  have  had  a  great  deal  of  heaven  on  earth, 
preaching  the  gosj>el,  mingling  with  the  people  of  God 


824  LIFE   AND  LABORS   OF 

and  witnessing  the  transforming  power  of  Christ  in 
the  lives  of  the  people.  I  have  met  and  become  inti- 
mate! v  acquainted  with  thousands  of  as  good  men  and 
women  as  God  ever  pennitted  to  live,  and  nearly  all 
of  my  happiness  has  come  through  associating  with 
them.  1  have  traveled  thousands  of  miles,  preached 
thousands  of  sermons,  endured  many  hardships  and 
self-denials,  but,  thank  God,  they  are  all  beliind  me 
now,  and  1  look  upon  them  as  treasures  laid  up  in 
heaven,  ^[any  of  those  who  were  converted  under 
my  ministry,  and  of  those  whom  I  baptized  and  mar- 
I'icd.  arc  now  in  heaven,  and  many  others  are  burning 
and  shining  lights  in  the  church  militant,  living  and 
working  for  Jesus. 

''They  that  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that 
goeth  fortli  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall 
doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his 
sheaves  with  liini."  1  am  now  in  the  t^^dlight  of  life's 
harvest ;  my  hoary  locks  are  reflecting  the  beauty  of 
the  world  beyond,  but,  bless  God,  my  sheaves  are 
standing  thick  around  me.  My  tasks  are  done.  The 
night  is  coming  on.  "T  know  whom  I  have  believed, 
and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which 
T  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day."  ^'I 
have  fought  a  good  fight,  T  have  finished  my  course, 
I  have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for 
me  a  crr>wn  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day."  Soon  I 
shall  ])reac'h  my  last  sermon,  offer  my  last  prayer,  and 


ELDER  F.  M.   JORDAN.  325 

take  my  last  look  at  these  sparkling  waters,  these 
majestic  moimtains,  these  beautiful  valleys — earth, 
friends,  home  and  loved  ones,  and  soar  away  to  dwell 
with  God  f orevermore. 


FINIS. 


, ,  t-r  i\  yi  y 


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